Digimon Academy
by TheGreatElisaMousy
Summary: Okay, I know there are a lot like this, but hey, I'm trying my own. Chiharu never wanted anything to do with Digimon, or the Academy that trained people to fight with them. But after one fateful event, she's forced to enroll, partnering with none other than Beelzemon, the Demon Lord of Gluttony himself. This is sort of an attempt at being its own 'season'. UPDATES WEEKLY
1. Chosen

**I don't own the Digimon themselves, but… all the characters are MINE. Got it? Also, this is an attempt at an 'episode format', where each chapter is a specific episode. Each 'break' is a change of scene, or where a commercial break would be.**

He could hear them coming. It was all over for him, and it was _his_ fault. He growled at the thought of the bastard that had left him to die. He'd been bound to the wall, unable to move while the others made their escape.

As the humans rushed in, and as his data was being reconfigured into a Digi-Egg, Beelzemon screamed, "LUCEMON!"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu Miura ran down the street, frantically looking around. Her mom had told her to meet her at the mall, but, being new to the city, she had no idea where it was. _I need help_, she thought. She saw a large school, and figured that she could ask directions. She bolted to the entrance, and when she entered the building, she was breathing heavily.

"Can I help you?" the woman at the reception desk asked.

"Um, yes," Chiharu said sheepishly. "I'm new to the city, and I need to get to the mall. Could you give me directions, please?"

"No problem," the woman responded with a smile. "You just continue down this road, take the third left, follow the street for a while, and take your first right. You'll see it then."

"Thanks," the brunette called over her shoulder, already on her way out the door. _Mom's going to kill me for being so late…_

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

In a small, dark room, there were seven large eggs. Each was on its own small table, and the door to the room was sealed shut. A guard was patrolling right outside it.

One of the eggs began shaking slightly. The longer it shook, the more it moved, until it eventually fell off of its table and rolled towards the door.

The guard, who heard the thud inside, unlocked the door to the room, and stared for a moment at the egg at his feet. How could this have happened? He took out his cell phone and dialed the Headmaster. "Sir?" he started. "We have a problem. One of the Demon Lords' eggs moved. It rolled off the table." A pause. "Yes, I think it might have reacted to someone."

"This could be a problem," said the voice on the other line. "Check the security footage. I want to see who it was that entered this building when the egg reacted."

"Yes, Sir!" the guard said, and hung up. He made his way to the security room. As he opened the door, a strange-looking woman turned her head towards him. She had long white hair, even though she still seemed fairly young, and her eyes were completely red. She wore a bizarre black, skin-tight outfit, and one of her hands was much larger than the other and ended in long red claws.

"What do you need?" she asked him.

"LadyDevimon, can you pull up the security footage from all the entrances from a few minutes ago?" he asked.

"Okay," she responded, doing so. "Why?"

"An egg reacted," the guard said. "It's important that we find who made it react as soon as possible."

"I understand that finding a human like that is important," LadyDevimon said, "but this one is more than that. Why?"

The guard looked at her, and said, "Whoever this person is, they're bonded to a Demon Lord."

LadyDevimon's eyes widened a fraction, and as the security footage played, they each watched to monitors closely. "Wait!" the guard said. "Freeze it right there." LadyDevimon did so. The guard pointed to a screen near the bottom right, showing the front entrance. A girl with long, light brown hair was walking in. "That's the exact moment I heard the egg fall. That's our girl."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Do you have any idea how worried I was?" Chiharu's mom asked angrily.

"I'm sorry," Chiharu muttered for about the tenth time. "I got lost. I told you, I had to stop to ask for directions."

Her mother sighed. "Well, at least you're safe."

They were almost home, and Chiharu watched out the window, trying to memorize the way home from the mall. When she looked at the house as it neared, she saw a silver car on the street right in front of it.

"Mom?" she asked. "Are we expecting anyone?"

Her mother shook her head. "I don't think so."

They both got out of the car and headed toward the door. When they entered the house, they saw Chiharu's father sitting at the table across from a man in some sort of suit. When he saw them, he smiled. "Hey, guys," he said.

"Who's this?" her mother said.

"Oh, this is Nakayama-sensei. He's from one of the schools in the city," her father explained. The man turned to both of them, stood, and bowed.

"Hello. Are you Chiharu?" he asked, and she nodded. "Earlier today, you had to stop in a school to ask directions to the mall. Am I right?" Again, she nodded, not understanding where this is going. "That school was the Japanese Branch, and Headquarters, of Digimon Academy."

Her eyes widened. Digimon Academy? That school where kids partner with Digital creatures and learned how to become Tamers and fight with them? She'd never been interested. She hated violence, and that's all she ever saw Digimon used as: tools of violence. "What do you want from me?" she asked bluntly.

"Chiharu, to put it simply, we need to enroll you at Digimon Academy," Nakayama said, and Chiharu fiercely shook her head.

"I'm not interested," she said.

"I'm sorry, but that's too bad," the teacher countered, and her mother was about to say something when her father interrupted.

"Honey, we need to talk," he said, pulling her into the living room, leaving the child and teacher alone.

"What did you tell my dad?" she asked.

"Exactly what I'm about to tell you: this is what you _have_ to do. I'm sorry, but you don't have a choice in this. You've been chosen."

"Chosen by who, exactly?" Chiharu asked, raising an eyebrow. He didn't answer. After a few minutes, her parents returned.

"Honey," her mom said, "you have to go. I know you don't want to, but it really is for the best."

She glared at her mom. How could her parents do this to her? There must have been something Nakayama had told her parents that he was keeping from her. She sighed. "I guess I have to," she finally gave in.

"Good," Nakayama said. "Because you're already enrolled. Pack your things, we're going back right away."

Chiharu blinked. Was he serious? But she decided not to argue, since it wouldn't get her anywhere anyway. She finished packing fairly quickly, since she'd never finished unpacking when they'd first arrived about a week ago. She carried her suitcase downstairs, dejected. Her mother loaded her and her stuff back into their car, and they followed Nakayama back to the Academy. When she got out, she looked around. When she'd run in before, she hadn't had time to admire the surroundings. She'd been too worried about how late she was.

"Good-bye, Honey," her mom said. "Have fun, and be careful." She gave her daughter a hug and a reassuring smile before getting back into the car and leaving. Just like that, she was stuck there. She walked back into the building, and sat in one of the chairs.

The lady at the reception desk looked up and flashed a bright smile. "I see you're back already. That was fast. I'll let you know when they're ready for you."

Chiharu glanced around, and noticed that Nakayama was no longer there. Did he seriously have the nerve to take her from her home to this strange school, and then just leave her there alone?

A girl walked over to her. She had what looked like a purple woman with this whole flower theme going on following her. "Hi!" the girl said with a smile. "I'm Asuka Kudo, and this is my partner, Lotosmon. Are you new here?"

"Yeah, just today," Chiharu said, holding up her suitcase to indicate that she had literally _just_ arrived. "I'm Chiharu Miura. Um, Nakayama-sensei brought me here. Where is he?"

Asuka laughed. "He has a habit of disappearing."

Lotosmon sighed. "He'll leave in the middle of class, and half the time he forgets to come back." She shook her head. "It's always an adventure here."

Chiharu laughed just a little. "Seriously, though. Where is he? He said it was really important that I come here, and now that I'm here, he's gone!"

"I don't know," Asuka answered truthfully. "But he'll be back, I'm sure. I hope we wind up in the same dorm. I mean, we won't at first, obviously, because I'm in Dorm A, and all newbies are put in Dorm D. But they're pretty close, so we'd be able to visit a lot."

Chiharu smiled. She'd managed to make a new friend fairly quickly. Asuka was very nice. "I hope so."

Just then, Nakayama, along with a security guard holding a large egg, walked back over. Nakayama smiled at Asuka. "I see you've been keeping our friend company. Thank you, Kudo-kun."

Asuka just smiled. "No problem." She looked at the egg, and then at Chiharu. "Is she…?"

"We're about to find out," the teacher replied, his eyes sparkling with excitement. As soon as the egg neared the new girl, it began shaking. The closer it got, the more it shook, until eventually, it flew out of the guard's hands. It rolled on the floor until it stopped at Chiharu's feet, where it continued to shake. She watched, intrigued, as it slowly began to crack. Light began seeping through the cracks, and the egg finally split open, showing a small creature that looked like just a purple head with pointed ears.

"So it was _him_," the guard muttered, confusing both girls.

Asuka looked slightly disappointed. She turned to Chiharu and sighed. "Looks like we won't be able to dorm together after all…"

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

"The egg reacted to you. That means that you were _supposed_ to come here," Asuka explained. "You aren't a Tamer. You're a Digi-Destined." She turned to the teacher. "Right?"

"Yep," Nakayama said, and Chiharu was confused by his change in personality since they'd arrived. Back at her house, he was very formal and polite. Now, he acted very carefree, and kind of goofy.

The small creature that hatched out of the egg looked up at Chiharu. "Are you going to pick me up already, or am I going to have to sit here all day?"

"Right, sorry," Chiharu said, bending down to pick up her new partner. "So, what does it mean to be a Digi-Destined?"

Nakayama looked at the clock. "Oh, my," he said. "I have to go, I've got a class to teach! Kudo-kun, could you show her around campus, and maybe explain a few things?"

"Of course," Asuka said with a laugh as Nakayama dashed off to wherever his classroom was.

"He doesn't seem very much like a teacher," Chiharu said, staring after the teacher.

"Yeah, that's what makes him fun. Like I said, he has to leave the classroom a lot, for one reason or another, then forgets he has a class, so half the time, his Digimon, Dianamon, has to teach instead," the other girl said. "I was a bit surprised to see him in a suit."

"Why?"

"He usually doesn't dress up for work. The best he usually does is khakis, a tee shirt, and his vest," Asuka told her.

"Well, we just came from my house, where he told my parents about me coming here, so…"

"Oh, that's probably it, then," the girl said. "He was representing the entire school, so he had to at least _look_ the part of a teacher." They both laughed.

"Wait, if Nakayama-sensei has to teach right now, then shouldn't you have class, too?" Chiharu asked, but Asuka shook her head.

"Nope, M-Class has a free period right now," Asuka explained, and a boy about their age ran over.

"Asuka! I've been looking for you every—who's this?" he asked, blowing stray hairs out of his face.

"This is Chiharu. She's a new student here."

Before Chiharu could say anything, a Digimon floated towards them, having obviously been following the boy. "Honestly, Dai, if you run any faster, you're going to hurt yourself."

"Chiharu, meet Dai Harada. He's in M-Class, too," Asuka introduced.

"Nice to meet you," he said. "This is my partner, BlackSeraphimon."

"How do you do?" he greeted.

Chiharu smiled. "So, um, is anyone going to show me around?"

"Well, we should probably show her to Dorm D, right?" Dai asked, but Asuka shook her head.

"No, actually… She's staying in Dorm E."

Dai's eyes widened. "Dorm _E_? But isn't that only for the Chosen Children? The Digi-Destined?" His friend nodded, and he looked back at Chiharu in awe. "So you're…?"

"A Digi-Destined?" she asked. "That's what everyone keeps saying. But what does that _mean_?"

"A Digi-Destined is a human that has been chosen to partner with a Digimon," BlackSeraphimon answered. "Tamers, students who come here and choose a Digimon, train as 'reserves'. If there is a threat from Digimon to either the Human World or the Digital World, it would be the Tamers' job to deal with the problem. A Digi-Destined, however, is someone who 'reacts' to a Digi-Egg, meaning that their presence itself causes the egg to hatch, thus bonding human and Digimon. Digi-Destined are the 'front-lines'. They're the first to go to battle, because they're trained differently, since it's what they were meant to do."

"And I'm one of these Digi-Destined?" Chiharu asked.

"If you made the egg react," Dai said.

The Digimon in Chiharu's arms sighed in annoyance. "Yeah," he said. "She did."

"I get the feeling that you don't like me," she told him.

"Because I don't," he hissed back.

"Will you at least tell me your name?" she tried.

After a moment, he finally answered, "Kiimon." Chiharu was surprised. She hadn't honestly thought that he'd answer her. When he saw the look on her face, Kiimon rolled his eyes. "Well, I don't want you calling me 'Hey, you!' or 'that thing'." This caused the human to laugh a little. She turned to her new Tamer friends.

"So, you were going to show me around?"

"Oh, right!" Asuka said. "I kinda forgot." She turned back to Dai and said, "Nakayama-sensei asked me to show her around and explain about what we do here and how we do it."

"Mind if we tag along?" he asked.

Lotosmon, who'd been quiet the whole time, said, "I don't see why not. Asuka?" the Tamer shook her head. The group left to start the tour, but Lotosmon never stopped watching Kiimon cautiously, which unnerved Chiharu.

Asuka led the group to a large, open area to the west side of the school. There were five large buildings. "These are the student dorms," she explained. "There, all the way on the left is Dorm A, for the M-Class. U-Class is in Dorm B, right next to it. C-Class is in Dorm C, and R-Class is in Dorm D."

"What about the fifth dorm?" the new girl questioned.

"That's Dorm E," Dai explained. "That's where you'll be staying."

"D-Class," Asuka added.

"Why are the letters in such a random order? Why not use just A, B, C, and D, like the dorm names?"

"They're not random," Asuka told her. "R-Class stands for 'Rookie' class. It's the class for students whose Digimon have only made it to Rookie level or lower. C-Class is for students who have managed to Digivolve their Digimon to Champion level. U-Class is for Ultimates, and M-Class is for the students who've managed to Digivolve their partners all the way to Mega level. D-Class, though, stands for Digi-Destined class. Now do you get it?"

"I think so," the Digi-Destined girl responded. "But, other than being chosen, what makes a Digi-Destined so special? I mean, why are they so important?"

"No one knows for sure, but I think it's because the human and Digimon form an instant bond once the Digi-egg hatches," Dai said. "So their teamwork is a lot better."

"Okay," Chiharu said, but she was doubtful. After all, Kiimon himself said that he didn't like her. "So, are there just kids our age here, or what?"

"Well, there are two kinds of classes," Dai said. "There are the regular subjects. You take those classes with your age group, no matter what class you're in. The subjects that are Digimon-related, though, are only with your specific class."

Asuka nodded. "We're M-Class, but we've got a girl with us that's like, ten. Age doesn't really matter when it comes to skill level."

"So, who else is in D-Class?" Chiharu asked, and Asuka, Dai, BlackSeraphimon, and Lotosmon all gave each other a look.

"You're the first Digi-Destined in a long time," Lotosmon told her.

"Oh," Chiharu said, realizing just how alone she'd feel. "So, what do the Digimon do while we're in class?"

"They come to class with us," Asuka responded. She laughed. "Good thing, too, because if Dianamon hadn't gone to college with Nakayama-sensei, we'd all be screwed in Math and Battle Strategy."

"He teaches two classes?" the newbie asked, and both kids nodded.

"All the teachers do," Dai said. "They've each got a regular, mundane subject, and then a 'Digimon subject'. Sometimes, it can be a pain in the rear, though."

A bell rang, and suddenly, kids were pouring out of the school, all in different colored uniforms. Some had green, others had blue, some had purple, and there were some kids, Asuka and Dai included, in red uniforms. Chiharu assumed that the uniform color showed what class the student belonged to. She felt very out of place, having not received a uniform yet. She stood there awkwardly in her bright red midriff T-shirt, jeans, and her single black and white striped arm warmer on her left arm. She felt tempted to remove the goggles that rested comfortably just above her bangs. Asuka, seeming to sense the other girl's feelings, said, "Why don't we take you to your dorm so you can drop your stuff off, and then we'll go back down to the office to get you a uniform." Chiharu nodded, and they headed towards Dorm E.

"I've never been in here before," Dai said, staring at the doors. "Are you sure it's okay? I mean, this place is like, holy ground. It's like sacrilege."

Asuka rolled her eyes and hit him over the head before opening the door. As the three stepped in, they looked around with wide eyes. A large foyer lay in front of them, with two staircases leading to the second floor. There was a piece of paper taped to the railing, so Chiharu walked over to look at it. It was a note, probably from Nakayama-sensei. It said: _Chiharu, since you're reading this, I probably haven't come back to get you and you found the dorm on your own. You can pick any room in the left corridor of the second floor. I hope you enjoy your stay here. –N_

The Digi-Destined girl started climbing the staircase, and looked back at the two Tamers who stood there awkwardly, not sure about what to do. "You can come up, if you want," she said, and they followed. She roamed the left corridor. Every door she opened held a much different room. Now she knew why they were letting her choose. All the rooms seemed a little too fancy for her taste, until she opened one of the last doors. The walls were white, and there was a wooden floor with a large brown rug covered most of it. There was a bed to the left side, and shelves on the right. In the back right corner, there was a door, and when she opened it, Chiharu found a bathroom. There was also a dressed next to the shelves, and a glass-topped coffee table sat in the middle of the floor. There was a sliding glass door on the far wall that led to a balcony, with thick shades to block out the light if she needed it. "This is amazing," she whispered, and turned around to see her new friends staring.

"I wish _our_ dorms were this cool!" Dai blurted, and Asuka elbowed him in the ribs.

"The dorms get better as you move up through the classes. Dorm D is kind of okay, maybe just a little bit run-down. Dorm C's pretty normal. Dorm B gets a little fancier, and Dorm A's pretty nice too, but this… _this_ is just…" Asuka couldn't seem to find the words to voice her thoughts. Chiharu felt herself blushing ever so slightly. Their admiration of her room made her feel like they thought she was something special. She knew they thought that anyway, knowing she was a Digi-Destined, but this only made it worse.

She set her bag down on the bed and turned back to the two. "So, how about that uniform?" she asked, desperate to get them out of there. She was starting to feel awkward again.

"Oh, right, sorry," Asuka said, snapping out of it. "Come on, let's go!" And with that, she grabbed their arms and dragged them down the stairs and back outside. When they reached the office, a set of neatly folded clothes was sitting on the corner of the reception desk.

"I'm going to go back to the dorm and put these on," she told her friends. "I want to have a little time alone, to think." The both nodded in understandingly, and Chiharu headed off alone.

When she made it back to her room, she closed the blinds, turned on the light, and looked down at the uniform. The skirt, tie, and sweater were all orange. "That must be the D-Class color," she muttered. She was about to start changing when she remembered a certain someone in her room. She turned to Kiimon. "Turn around," she told him.

"Oh, please," he said, rolling his eyes. "Like I really want to see you naked." He turned around, and her eyes narrowed. But she started getting changed, and found that the uniform fit quite comfortably. Her dad must have told Nakayama-sensei her clothes size. She almost removed her goggles, but then stopped. Back at her old town, they were what defined her. It was practically her identity. So she left them on.

"Okay, you can turn around now," she told Kiimon, and he did. She looked at him for a long time before finally asking, "Why do you hate me so much? If we're supposed to be partners, shouldn't we at least _try_ to get along?"

"I don't need a partner," he argued. "I can take care of myself." Chiharu raised an eyebrow at that, looking at his small size.

"Right now," she started, "I doubt that." She sat down on the bed and continued looking at him. "There's something about you that's kind of bugging me."

"Good."

She ignored that. "First, the guard said something like 'so it was him', and then Lotosmon was giving you these weird looks. What gives? Is there something different about you or something?"

"Maybe there is, maybe there isn't." She groaned. She should have expected an answer like that.

"Come on, please?" she asked, but he refused to talk any more about it.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"She seems like a very kind girl," Nakayama said.

A strict-looking woman gave him a sharp look. "She's partnered with a _Demon Lord_. How do we know she can be trusted? What if he pulls her over to his side?"

"Relax," another woman said. "Digimon don't usually remember their past lives after they've been reborn. It should be fine. Don't worry, Minori."

The first woman glared. "I told you not to call me that, Ikeda." The first woman frowned, but said nothing else.

"We'll just have to see," and older man sitting at a desk said. "Nakayama."

"Yes, Sir," the teacher in question answered.

"I want you to keep an eye on those two. See if he really is ignorant of his past life," the man said, rubbing his temples. "We can only hope. He'd be a strong asset, as long as he's on our side."

**Next time:  
Nakayama: Yaamon, I have a very important question.  
Yaamon: Yeah?  
Nakayama: Do you remember anything about your past life?  
Chiharu: What's going on?**

**I know this isn't a very exciting 'episode', but it's still pretty long for me~ I'm usually luck if I break 1500 words, so yay~! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. If you did: R&R, please.**


	2. School's in Session

**Okay, on to Episode 2~ In case you guys haven't guessed (since this **_**is**_** only the second chapter) I'm going to try to make my updates weekly, kind of like how there's usually a new episode of something on every week. So, expect updates on Wednesday nights (unless something unexpected comes up. I'll try to stay on schedule as much as I can). Anyway, I don't own the Digimon themselves, but all the human characters are mine.**

Chiharu looked up at the ceiling. She was laying on her bed, in her new room at Digimon Academy, where she'd been forced to enroll, because it turned out that she was a Digi-Destined. Her partner, Kiimon, didn't seem to like her too much, though.

Kiimon's stomach growled loudly. "I'm hungry. Dinner's going to be served soon! Let's go get food."

"You go, I'm not hungry," she muttered, turning on her side, away from him. She was away from her parents, in a school she _really_ didn't want to be at, with a partner that really seemed to hate her. She just wanted to be left alone.

"Believe me," her Digimon started. "I would if I could. But I don't have any legs, remember? So carry me!"

She rolled her eyes at his demanding, but sat up. "If you're not going to shut it, then fine, I'll take you down." She picked him up, and headed down the stairs. There was another reason she didn't want to go down. Her uniform would be like a beacon, advertising that she was a Digi-Destined, giving her unwanted attention. It would make her feel really awkward, and she didn't need that right now. "I can't wait 'til you Digivolve and get your own legs. Then you can go down by yourself." Kiimon just glared at her.

When she opened the door, Dai and BlackSeraphimon were right outside, waiting for her.

"We figured you might not know where the cafeteria is," the human explained, "so we thought we'd come and wait for you to come down to show you."

"Oh, um, thanks," Chiharu said. Dai led her to the main building, down a hall, around a few corners, and finally, to the cafeteria. As soon as she opened the doors, all conversation stopped. Yep, she was right. Awkward. People stared at her, and after a moment, they all started whispering to each other. _This must be what Harry Potter felt like when his name was called for Sorting_, she thought, being an avid reader. She quickly made her way to the lunch line, got food for Kiimon, and then sat down, avoiding looking up at all the stares. Maybe she could just pretend that everyone else wasn't there.

Kiimon dug into his food, completely oblivious to his partner's discomfort (not that he would have cared anyway). Chiharu watched him eat, almost amused by how fast he ate. After the tray was empty, the girl stood up, about to take it back, when Kiimon started glowing. After a moment, he was completely enveloped in white light, and when it faded, a slightly larger creature sat in his place. It had very short purple fur, but its face was brown, and it had longer ears that were pointed backwards.

"What just happened?" she asked.

"I Digivolved," the creature told her. "I'm Yaamon now." He looked down at the empty tray. "Now get me more food. I'm still hungry."

As she went to refill the tray, she muttered, "He may have changed on the outside, but he's still a jerk."

People kept trying to talk to her, but she ignored them. She didn't want to talk to anyone. Part of it was because they only wanted to talk to her because she was 'special'. The other part was the fact that she already felt like she was a failure. From what she understood, a Digi-Destined should be bonded with their Digimon immediately after it hatches, but Yaamon seemed intent on hating her. After about three more trips for food, she finally brought Yaamon back to the dorm. He'd finally stopped demanding for food.

When she neared the building, she saw Nakayama standing outside it, with another teacher standing next to him. She looked very nice.

"I see Kiimon Digivolved already," she said happily. "How wonderful! You two must have a strong bond already!"

"No, I just fed him a lot, that's all," Chiharu admitted. She felt ashamed, but neither adult pressed the subject at all.

"Chiharu, this is Ikeda-sensei. She teaches Art and Team Battling," Nakayama told her.

"It's nice to meet you," Chiharu said, bowing. She looked back at her other teacher. "You're not here just to introduce another teacher to me, are you?"

"No," he admitted. "There's something important that I need to know." He turned to the In-Training Digimon in Chiharu's arms. "Yaamon, I have an important question."

"Yeah?" he asked boredly.

"Do you remember anything about your past life?"

"Nope," Yaamon answered. "Why would I? No Digimon ever remembers their past life."

"We just had to make sure," Ikeda said.

"Why?" Chiharu asked, confused.

"It's nothing," Nakayama said. He was hiding something again. "Well, have a good night." And with that, he and Ikeda left, and Chiharu entered the dorm. Once she reached her room, she set Yaamon down on the bed, and sat in front of him.

"You were lying to Nakayama-sensei. Why?"

"What are you talking about?" Yaamon asked, looking at her like she was absolutely crazy. "Digimon never remember their past lives, I just said that."

"But _you_ do," Chiharu insisted. "Why? Is there something bad you did before?"

"If I did, that wouldn't be any of your business," he hissed.

"We're partners now, of course it's my business!" Chiharu said, scowling. But Yaamon didn't say another word about it.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Do you think he's telling the truth?" Ikeda asked Nakayama as soon as they entered the teacher's lounge. The male teacher sighed.

"I'm not sure," he said honestly. "I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt, but with his history…"

"I feel bad for the girl," Ikeda said softly. "Right now, it doesn't seem like they're a very good match up. And, depending on future circumstances, they may have to be separated."

Nakayama gave her a weird look. "Since they don't like each other, wouldn't separating them be a good thing?"

The female shook her head. "No, it wouldn't. For one thing, they're _supposed_ to be a team. It's their destiny, they were born for it. For another, they may end up becoming closer in the future. I just hope Yaamon really _was_ telling the truth. It would be bad if he really did remember…"

Nakayama nodded. "But right now, all we can do is wait," he said.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu woke up the next morning, and went through the motions of getting ready for school. She remembered Asuka's words about how the Digimon go to class with them, and grudgingly picked Yaamon up to bring him with her. When she was outside, however, she realized that she still didn't have a schedule. She groaned and leaned against the wall. "I am _so_ screwed," she muttered, causing Yaamon to laugh. "Shut up," she told him. Her first thought was to go to the front office, since she pretty much knew where that was by now. After receiving her schedule, she starting walking down the hall, following the map she'd also been given to find her class.

"Let's see," she muttered, staring at the schedule. Apparently, they didn't have all their classes on the same day. The morning was for regular classes, and the afternoon was for Digimon classes. Today, she had Art, English, Math, and then Science. After that was lunch, and then came Battle Theory, Team Battling, Battle Strategy, and Digimon History. Weird.

She stepped into the Art room, and, as expected, all eyes were on her. Ikeda smiled. "I'm glad you found your way here okay," she said. A large, orange Digimon stood behind her. "Oh, I never introduced you, did I? This is my partner, Apollomon."

"A pleasure to meet you," he said politely, and Chiharu nodded in response.

She took a seat at the table near the back of the room, where Asuka and Dai sat. Another boy sat right across from her.

"So," he said, popping a bubble with his bubblegum. "You're the Digi-Destined everyone's talking about."

"Um, yeah, I was at dinner last night, too…" Chiharu said awkwardly, wondering why he had apparently not noticed.

Dai laughed. "This is one of my best friends, Hiroshi. He's in C-Class. Half the time, he just skips dinner."

"What can I say?" Hiroshi asked, shrugging. "I'm usually not hungry." He motioned to the green insect like Digimon next to him, with what looked like sickles for arms. "This is my partner, Snimon."

"Yo!" he said. "What's up?"

"Not much," Chiharu answered. "I'm Chiharu, and this is Yaamon." The little Digimon, however, stayed silent. Chiharu sighed. "He kind of hates me."

"That's weird," Hiroshi said, popping another bubble. "I thought Digi-Destined were bonded to their Digimon. Doesn't that mean that you should get along?"

"That's what I thought when I heard," the girl said with a sigh. "But, hey, what can you do, right?"

Asuka looked at her for a moment. "Well, I'm sure he'll come around."

"I doubt it," Yaamon spoke up, making Asuka and Chiharu frown.

Dai poked the both of them. "Ikeda-sensei's ready to start class now." And sure enough, the young woman was in front of the class, demonstrating the different values and how they could be applied in art.

"So, since the Digimon have to come to class with us, what kind of stuff do they do during Art?" Chiharu whispered.

"Well," Hiroshi said, "the more human-like Digimon like Lotosmon and BlackSeraphimon do the same stuff we do. But Digimon like Snimon here, with no hands, are given projects of their own, that are more geared towards their talents. I'd bet you ten bucks that you wouldn't be able to find a better sculpting Digimon in this school than Snimon."

"I'll pass on that, I believe you," Chiharu said with a smile. "What about Yaamon?"

"Well," Asuka said, "until he actually gets some limbs, he's probably just going to watch."

The Digi-Destined girl laughed. "Good point."

They spent the rest of class watching Ikeda demonstrate the different uses of value, and near the end, they were give a sheet of paper to practice different values. Snimon was watching over Hiroshi's shoulder, but it was impossible to tell what he was thinking, because he had no eyes. After Art, the four headed to English, and right before they stepped through the door, Dai and Hiroshi grimaced.

"I hate English class," Dai muttered.

"Ditto," Hiroshi responded, popping his gum yet again. "Shimizu's more of a monster than any of the Digimon here."

"Oh really?" came a voice behind them. The group turned to see a yellow fox-like Digimon.

Hiroshi paled. "S-Sorry, Renamon. I-It was a joke…" The Digimon stared at the boys for a long time before seeming to disappear. They looked inside to see her reappear next to a stern looking teacher. As she whispered something to the teacher, Hiroshi looked at Dai. "We're so dead." The other boy simply nodded.

"What's up with them?" Chiharu asked.

Asuka looked around warily, probably to make sure that the Digimon wasn't there to hear. "Shimizu-sensei's really strict. A lot of kids are afraid of her. One step out of line, you immediately get detention. She has it in for Hiroshi, probably because he's always breaking the 'no gum' rule." She nodded towards the Digimon. "And that's her partner, Renamon. She's a Rookie, but she's capable of Digivolving all the way to Mega Level. A lot of Digimon are like that." They sat down, and class began.

Chiharu took careful notes, because she had to try to catch up on everything that she'd missed. She stayed quiet, because she didn't want to get caught and punished on her first day. When the bell rang, Hiroshi was the first one out of the classroom, not wanting to be held after class. Chiharu got the distinct feeling that Hiroshi was even more afraid of Shimizu than anyone else.

She followed her new friends to Math, where Nakayama stood at his desk, smiling at his students. She had a good feeling that she'd like this class.

The lesson began, and Chiharu took more notes, paying attention to everything that was said. Every once in a while, Hiroshi would pop his gum, but Nakayama didn't seem to mind.

There was an announcement about halfway through class: "Nakayama, you're needed in the front hall." All the kids watched him leave, but as soon as he was gone, their eyes snapped forward again. The new girl looked up to see a humanoid Digimon in white armor, with a few lilac details, now standing at Nakayama's desk. She picked up where he left off. So that must be Dianamon.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"You wanted to see me?" Nakayama asked, entering the front hall. The lady at the desk simply pointed at the door to the Headmaster's office. He nodded and entered the room, looking confused.

"If you're wondering why you're here, don't," the Headmaster said. "Ikeda told me about your direct questioning of _him_."

"I had to know," Nakayama said.

"Did you honestly think he'd tell you the truth?"

The teacher shook his head. "No, but still… I had to try. I also wanted to see how the two of them were doing as a team."

"You could have waited for a report from Ikeda."

"No, not just battling as a team. I wanted to see how they were getting along. She's already managed to Digivolve him to his In-Training Level."

"That could be a very bad thing," the Headmaster told him. "If he reaches Mega Level, he may be a very dangerous threat."

"I know that," Nakayama said. "But I want to believe in them. Chiharu Miura is a nice girl. Who knows? Maybe, being partnered with her, he'll lighten up a little bit."

"I doubt that," the Headmaster said. "But, we'll do it your way for now."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

After Science, which she'd had with a teacher named Nishimura-sensei, and his partner Minervamon, Chiharu made her way to the lunchroom with her new friends. There seemed to be some kind of disturbance.

Two boys were standing in the middle of the cafeteria, glaring at each other. One was partnered with a Digimon that looked like a star with legs, the other looked like some sort of knight. Suddenly, the boy with the star Digimon punched the other one, and all hell broke loose. People had formed a tight ring around them, egging them on to fight. They didn't need any help, though.

"Meteor Shower!" the star called out, and suddenly, rocks formed in the air, falling down on the other boy and his Digimon. The knight Digimon blocked them with his sword, and the boy dodged out of the way.

"Looks like Akihiro and Katashi are at it again," Dai said, sighing.

"When will they ever learn?" Asuka asked, shaking her head.

"Electric Slash!" the knight Digimon attacked.

Chiharu, who hated violence, couldn't stand watching this anymore. She set Yaamon down and pushed her way through the crowd. The boy with the star Digimon, in the blue uniform, went to punch the other, but Chiharu stopped his fist before it could make contact. "Stop it," she said angrily.

"And who's going to make me?" he asked, shaking her off of him. He took a second look, probably processing her uniform color, and immediately lowered his hand. The other boy, in the purple uniform, dove at the first, pinning him to the ground.

"I can't watch this anymore," Lotosmon said with a sigh, and BlackSeraphimon nodded. Both approached the fighting Digimon. Lotosmon planted her feet in front of the knight Digimon, raising the staves that Chiharu hadn't noticed before to keep his sword from moving.

"Seven Heavens!" BlackSeraphimon shouted, and seven spheres of light appeared, surrounding the star Digimon, making him unable to move. BlackSeraphimon looked back at Lotosmon, and they both nodded. They'd done well.

Chiharu had managed to pull the U-Class kid off the other one, but he was about to turn around and punch her when a large, golden sickle swiped between the two of them, creating a barrier. All three students looked up to see a woman walking towards them.

"How many times do we have to do this?" she asked, chastising the two who'd been fighting. "Headmaster's office. Now." After the boys had left, their Digimon with them, the teacher looked at Lotosmon and BlackSeraphimon. "Thank you two for helping." Then she looked at Chiharu. "Are you okay?" she asked, and the girl nodded. "Good. I'm Aoki-sensei. I teach Physical Education and Digimon History. Thank you for trying to stop those two. I don't know what's wrong with them." She sighed.

"It's okay," Chiharu said. "I'm fine. I just had to stop them, though. I hate pointless violence like that."

Aoki smiled at her. "This is my partner, Phantomon."

"Hello," he said, waving his sickle in greeting, which slightly creeped her out.

"Hi," she responded.

"Hey!" a voice from somewhere behind her yelled. "Are you gonna feed me?! I'm starving!"

Chiharu turned around to see Yaamon looking at her impatiently. She laughed, and walked back towards him. She wasn't as angry about it as she was last night, because it was a much needed distraction from the fight she'd just tried to stop.

After an otherwise uneventful lunch, she had to split off from her friends, since they had to go to their Level groups instead of age groups. She found the Battle Theory room without much difficulty, and entered to see Shimizu waiting for her. The strict teacher adjusted her glasses and said, "I heard you stopped one of the fights between Akihiro Taniguchi and Katashi Ishikawa." Chiharu nodded. "Very good. Those two are always at it." She sighed. "Anyway, before you start the rest of your classes, you're going to need this." She handed Chiharu a small device that was shaped like a cross, except that all the sides were equal. There was a small screen in the center, and there was a triangle pointing down each leg. The entire device was white, but as soon as she touched it, it turned black, and the triangles became a dark grey. She stared.

"What's going on?" she asked, watching while the device was slowly changing color.

"This is your Digivice," Shimizu told her. "This will help you when it comes to battle. You can communicate to your Digimon, no matter where he is, using this. Don't ever lose track of it." Chiharu nodded. "Now, onto class, then."

"Am I the only one here?" Chiharu asked.

"Well, yes," Shimizu answered. "You're the only D-Class student in the entire school."

"Oh," the girl responded softly. She glanced down quickly, wondering why Yaamon had been so quiet throughout the day. She got her answer when she saw him fast asleep. She rolled her eyes, and then started listening intently to what Shimizu had to teach her. In some ways, it was easier that she was the only student in the class, because that meant she was free to ask any questions, without having to feel embarrassed in front of other students. This one-on-one teaching was very effective, as she'd soon learn.

"Let's start with the basics," the teacher started. "Do you know _why_ we train the students here?"

"Kind of," Chiharu answered. "It's so that people here, that want to become Tamers, can train with their Digimon. If there's some kind of Digimon-related threat to Earth or the Digital World, the Tamers take care of it, right?"

"That's part of it," Shimizu told her. "We also stop any human threat to the Digital World. But we don't train people here just to fight. The existence of Digimon is common knowledge, as I'm sure you already know." The Digi-Destined nodded. "Many people are afraid of Digimon. Part of what this school does is show that not all Digimon are to be feared. We want to teach people that humans and Digimon are capable of living in peace with each other. Now, do you know why _you're_ here?"

"I was chosen by somebody, so I _have_ to have a Digimon partner. There's some sort of bond between me and Yaamon."

"That's right. You, as a Digi-Destined, are different than any of the Tamers we teach here. Because you and your Digimon are bonded from the start, your teamwork is better. Also, because of this bond, your Digimon will be stronger in battle, making you very important if, God forbid, we are ever thrown into a war involving the Digimon. You would be a leader. In a sense, this is what you were _born_ for," Shimizu explained. She continued teaching Chiharu these kinds of things until the bell rang. Now, on to Team Battling.

As expected, when she entered the room, it was only her and Ikeda.

"So," she asked, "how are we supposed to do team battling when there's just me and Yaamon here?"

Ikeda smiled. "That's why we have our battle simulation system," she told her. "First, we should show you how a Digimon and partner act as a unit in battle, since Yaamon isn't really suited for battle yet."

"Hey!" he yelled, having been woken up by the bell.

"It's true," Chiharu pointed out, and he said nothing more, having no argument to that.

Ikeda walked over to a panel on the wall, pressing a few buttons. After doing so, she led Chiharu into a smaller room, with a window to watch the other room. When Ikeda left and re-entered the main room, she pressed one final button on the panel, and immediately, it went from a classroom to open field. Chiharu watched as a large Digimon, that looked surprisingly real for a simulation, flew at the two of them. It seemed long and almost snake-like, despite its feathers and beak. Chiharu's new Digivice made a sound, and she looked down at it to see a 3D image of the Digimon appear over the screen. "Varodurumon," she read the words on the screen to herself. "Mega-Level, uses the attacks Purge Shine and Aurora Undulation." She looked back up to study her teacher, to see exactly how this was supposed to be done.

"Purge Shine!" it cried out, and teacher and Digimon moved out of the way to avoid the attack.

"Apollomon!" Ikeda yelled, and he nodded.

"Arrow of Apollo!" he yelled, and red arrows consistently flew out of his hand. Ikeda sent him another look.

"It's winding up for another attack," she said. But just when it hit its peak, she shouted, "Now!"

Apollomon moved so fast that it looked like he'd just appeared above Varodurumon. "Phoebus Blow!" He punched the Digimon square in the back, and it cried out before disintegrating, and the scene faded away to reveal the classroom. Ikeda turned towards the window.

"You can come back now," she said with a smile.

Chiharu re-entered the classroom, unable to keep herself from staring at the two in awe. Yaamon, however, seemed unimpressed. In fact, he yawned. "That was amazing!" Chiharu exclaimed, ignoring her partner's rudeness. "I don't think we'll ever be able to do stuff like that. I mean, he knew just what to do without you having to tell him."

"Well," Ikeda began to explain, "Eventually, the bond between you and your Digimon will be so close that you won't need to say anything at all. You'll both understand each other's plans just by looking at each other."

_Yeah, right_, Chiharu thought, but said nothing. She highly doubted that she and Yaamon would ever be that close. The bell rang again, and she made her way to Battle Strategy. When she walked in to see just Dianamon, she wasn't surprised.

"He forgot, didn't he?" she asked, and her Digimon teacher sighed.

"Most likely," she admitted. "Anyway, let's get started, shall we? As I'm sure you understood from Ikeda-sensei, a big part of Battle Strategy is teamwork. Without that, you've already lost. And there's one thing you must always remember: just raw power isn't enough to win a battle in itself," she said, giving Yaamon a pointed look, which Chiharu didn't understand. She decided not to question it, though, because knowing Yaamon, he'd just get in another mood, worse than usual. "You need to come up with tactics," Dianamon continued. "That way, you can't go wrong." Dianamon was explaining simple strategies to Chiharu ten minutes later when Nakayama finally walked in. He looked at them for a moment before scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I completely forgot we had class right now," he said, and Dianamon sighed.

"Well, in his defense," she said, "he hasn't had class this period in a long time, since we haven't had any D-Class students." And so the lesson continued, until she had to leave for Digimon History.

She was about to open the door when it swung inside first. She poked her head in to see that Phantomon had opened it for her. "Um, thanks," she said, and he simply nodded.

"Hello," Aoki said with a smile. "It's nice to see you again. Now, we have a lot to cover, especially to get you caught up, so I suppose I have to ask first: is there anything specific you want to know before we get started?"

"Yeah, actually," Chiharu said with a nod. "Everyone keeps saying how there hasn't been a Digi-Destined here in a long time. How long, exactly, is 'a long time'?"

Aoki seemed to think for a minute. "Oh, at least seventy years, I believe, but probably a lot more than that. Now then, maybe we should start with how Digimon and humans first came into contact…"

Phantomon looked at her. "Remember what the Headmaster said," he reminded her.

"Oh, yes, right!" Aoki said. "I was given special instructions to teach you about the Seven Great Demon Lords first. I'll only summarize them, though, because they're a much longer unit later. Basically, quite a while ago, there were seven Digimon that called themselves the Great Demons Lords. But, I guess you kind of figured that out already. Anyway, they each embodied one of the Seven Deadly Sins."

Chiharu looked down, surprised to see Yaamon not only awake, but listening attentively, with what looked like a small smile. She sighed internally. He _would_ be happy to learn about super evil Digimon.

"They were Lilithmon, who embodied Lust, Leviamon who embodied Envy, Belphemon who embodied Sloth, Barbamon who represented Greed, Daemon who represented Wrath, their leader, Lucemon of Pride, and Beelzemon, who represented Gluttony," she started. "They ruled much of the Digital World, with the power of fear. They were tyrants, who were ruthless to anyone who stood against them. It took a lot to stop them. But, like I said, we'll get to them later. As I was saying, about when humans and Digimon first met…"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"It's probably a good thing that Aoki's only briefly going over the Demon Lords right now," Shimizu said, sitting in the security room with her legs crossed, watching the camera that showed the Digimon History classroom. "After all, _if_ he doesn't remember his life before, too much detail could make him remember, and at this point, that would be very bad."

"Yes," the security guard that had found Yaamon's egg moving said. "But, they'll be going into more detail later in the year. That would be a problem then."

Shimizu shook her head. "If those two have enough time to bond, then maybe that bond will be stronger than whatever he feels when he gets his memories back."

"That's assuming he isn't lying," the guard's partner, LadyDevimon said.

They both nodded. "Yes, if he isn't lying."

**Next time:  
Katashi: Hey! Thanks to you, I got written up!  
Chiharu: Let go of me!  
Impmon: Leave her alone!  
Chiharu: You Digivolved again! But why are you helping me now?  
Impmon: Just shut up and let me do this!**

**Alrighty, kinda slow here, but necessary at the same time. I think I may include another little 'extra' other than the 'Next time' stuff here at the end. Maybe a little Q&A, where you can review with a question, and any of the characters will answer it. Just please specify who you're asking. Oh, and Beelzemon (or whatever Level he is at the time) may or may not actually answer some questions. He'll probably try to avoid a lot of them (mostly to avoid spoilers, if nothing else), so be prepared for that.**


	3. The Bond Forms

**Yay, character questioning~ First up: To Yaamon, can you **_**really**_** remember your past?  
Yaamon: Well, since I don't have to worry about some teacher overhearing or anything: Of course I do, what are you, stupid?  
Chiharu: Yaamon, be nice.  
Next: Are all of the Demon Lords going to get their partners?  
Chiharu: Well, I'm not sure if I can really answer that question, because it would reveal some major spoilers. Our creator has some ideas, but there are a few bits and pieces that she knows are going to happen. Like-  
Asuka and Dai: *cover her mouth* SPOILERS, remember?  
Chiharu: Oh yeah…**

**Alright, I own the plot and human characters, but the Digimon belong to… whoever created them. ANYWAY, on to episode 3.**

Chiharu walked back to her dorm before anyone could stop to talk to her. She was confused. She needed to know what was up with Yaamon. She'd only just met him twenty-four hours ago, but everyone seemed to expect them to be close, and that was clearly not the case. And the big mystery was ticking her off. Badly.

She set him down on the bed, and kneeled down in front of it. "You're hiding something. Now talk."

"No," he said obstinately.

"So you _are_ hiding something."

"I never said that," Yaamon said. "Why are _you_ being so nosy?"

"Oh, no," Chiharu said. "Don't turn this conversation on me. This is about _you_."

"Well, I'm not talking."

Chiharu rolled her eyes. "Fine. We're not going to dinner until you fess up, though," she said, and he seemed to be considering it. But, apparently, keeping whatever he was hiding secret was more important than dinner, which, when it came to him, was saying something. "Alright, then," she said, putting him on the floor, climbing into bed. "I'm taking a nap."

His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. Chiharu slowly drifted off, and though Yaamon had slept most of the day, he felt exhausted too, so sleep found him quickly, as well.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

_His eyes narrowed at the Fallen Angel Digimon in front of him. "Stop acting all high and mighty! You ain't any better than the rest of us!"_

"_Oh, really?" the other asked. "Well, I can guarantee that I'm much better than _you_. You are stubborn, hard-headed, and have no brain whatsoever."_

"_What, so just because you're _so_ much smarter than me, that gives you a right to be such a jackass?!" Beelzemon yelled._

"_To you, Beelzemon, yes, it's perfectly okay. You amount to nothing. The only reason you're one of us is your raw power. But you're nothing without a leader to tell you what to do," Lucemon said._

_Beelzemon's eyes narrowed. It didn't help that the other five were watching, but said nothing. They simply let Lucemon berate and degrade him. Of course, what did he expect when it came to the other Demon Lords?_

"_In fact," Lucemon said with a smirk. "You aren't even worthy to be a Demon Lord anymore." Beelzemon felt himself shoved into the wall, unable to move, bound by some invisible force. Lucemon turned back to the remaining Demon Lords. "Humans are going to be here soon. We should leave before they find us." The others raced out, but Lucemon stopped in the doorway and sent Beelzemon a triumphant smirk before leaving the Lord of Gluttony to die._

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Yaamon snapped awake. Chiharu was leaning over him, looking worried, her previous anger apparently forgotten.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You looked like you were having a nightmare." As expected, Yaamon said nothing. "Well," the human said with a sigh, "I suppose we _could_ go down to dinner now. Come on, let's go." She picked the Digimon up, and he didn't protest, probably because he was looking forward to the prospect of food.

When they arrived at the cafeteria, Chiharu looked around and realized something. She was more adaptable than she thought. Just a day here, and she was already extremely used to seeing Digimon roaming around everywhere. It didn't even seem the slightest bit weird. She sat down once she got the food, smiling a little, almost laughing yet again at his eating habits. Yaamon noticed that she seemed to be _very_ bipolar.

She was still smiling when she felt a firm hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Katashi, one of the boys from earlier, looking quite angry. He yanked her up, and shoved her towards a clearer part of the cafeteria. No one noticed Yaamon's eyes now locked on the two of them.

"Hey!" Katashi yelled. "Thanks to you, I got written up!" He punched her right in the face, knocking her down. She hit the floor hard, and he gripped her arm, pulling her up again for another hit.

"Let go of me!" she yelled, afraid. What kind of school was this, really, when it allowed kids like this to stay here? She hadn't been afraid when she was stopping the two boys earlier, but that might have been because she wasn't the victim before. This time, she was, and there was nothing she could do.

There was a glow from the direction Katashi had brought her from, and everyone turned, including the attacker, to see a small, child-sized Digimon standing on the table. It was entirely purple, with red gloves, a red bandana, and a mischievous white face. In the moment that Katashi was distracted, she quickly stood and backed up. She glanced at her Digivice to see the information: Impmon, Rookie Level. Attacks: Bada-Boom, Infernal Funnel, Pillar of Fire.

"Leave her alone!" it yelled, and Chiharu was able to recognize that tone.

"You Digivolved again! But why are you helping me now?" she asked.

"Just shut up and let me do this!" he yelled, stalking towards them. "I can't have a partner that gets beaten up by some kid."

"Oh yeah?" Katashi asked. "And what are you gonna do, exactly?"

Impmon's eyes flashed dangerously. "If you're smart, you'll leave, and won't have to find out."

"I'm not afraid of a shrimp like you," Katashi sneered. "You're just a weak Rookie. In case you don't remember, Starmon's a Champion." He smirked. "This is going to be _easy_."

Impmon laughed. He snapped his fingers, and flames appeared above his hand. "Bada-Boom!" The balls of flame flew towards Katashi and Starmon. In fact, Katashi's uniform caught fire. He ran around, trying to put it out, and Impmon just stood there and laughed. After Katashi had run away, he turned around. "Hey, that was—" but Chiharu was no longer behind him. In fact, she was nowhere to be seen.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu sat on the floor in the bathroom, unsure if she was scared, angry, or sad. All she knew was that she didn't like what had just happened. She couldn't even be happy that Impmon helped her, because he only did it because he didn't want it to look like he had a weak partner. He was just doing it for selfish reasons. As a Digi-Destined, she was a failure.

She was still trying to keep herself from crying when Asuka walked in. "Are you okay?" she asked. "I saw the fight. That must have been scary. Good thing your Digimon Digivolved, huh?"

Chiharu didn't look up. "That's not it," she whispered. "I'm no good. Everyone's expecting so much of me, but what good am I when my Digimon hates my guts?"

"What do you mean?" Asuka asked. "Impmon helped you."

"But he didn't do it for me," she said softly. "He did it just for himself."

"Oh, really?" Asuka asked with a raised eyebrow. "They why's he been looking for you since you left?"

"What?"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Impmon was confused. It didn't make any sense, but for some reason, he felt an overpowering need to find Chiharu. It was probably that stupid bond kicking in. He didn't like that he'd been forced to become the partner of a Digi-Destined, but he had no choice. And, as much as he hated admitting it, he was almost getting used to the idea. What he said, about not wanting it to seem like he had a weak partner, that was a flat-out lie. For some reason, he _had_ been worried about her. Part of it could be that she put up with him so easily most of the time. Plus, she made sure he was well-fed, even when she threatened not to bring him down to the cafeteria. Of course, in hindsight, maybe that would have been a bit better, because then she'd never have been attacked, and then Impmon wouldn't have been this confused. Of course, he also wouldn't have Digivolved. He groaned. Why did this whole thing have to be so confusing?

He kept looking everywhere for Chiharu, but ever since she disappeared, he hadn't been able to find her. The more he was left to his thoughts, he realized that maybe, just maybe, Chiharu wasn't so bad after all. He'd always thought that when Digimon and humans worked together, the Digimon were always in a 'servant' position, and Impmon liked having power. He wanted nothing to do with a partnership that would put him below someone else. He'd had enough of that before. But, seeing Digimon Academy, he realized that no, Digimon weren't used as servants. They worked as equals, on the same level as their Tamers. Maybe, just _maybe_ this wouldn't be as bad as he thought.

Of course, he still had to solve the problem of Chiharu's disappearance.

While he was trying to think of where she might have gone, the entire school shook, and, as a reflex, he turned toward the epicenter. He bolted forward, needing to know what had caused it. He smirked at the thought of another fight, his previous concerns temporarily forgotten.

When he arrived at the center, Impmon saw an Ogudomon. He swore under his breath. He'd been looking for a fight, but this was too much as he was now. Contrary to what he'd been told countless times, Impmon was not stupid. He knew that, as a Rookie, he had no chance against a Mega, and he wasn't going to waste his life trying. Then, he remembered Chiharu again. If she was in a danger zone… He bolted back the way he came, and started searching. After about two minutes, it hit him. If she'd been running because of him, she'd probably go the one place he wouldn't be able to follow her: the girls' bathroom. He darted toward the nearest one, hoping that he was right, and soon, Asuka and Chiharu exited. Lotosmon had been waiting for them right outside, which had been another hint to Impmon that she was there.

He found that when he was finally right in front of them, he was breathing hard, and he was very tired. This Rookie form was so weak… but there was nothing he could do about. He'd just have to be patient, even though that wasn't one of his strong points. "Need to… run. Ogudomon… in the school… very strong…" He pointed in the direction he'd just run from, where a bunch of students came running from. It was obviously advancing in this direction.

"An Ogudomon? Here?" Lotosmon asked, raising her staves, falling into a fighting stance. "But how?"

The loudspeaker came on. "Students are to evacuate the building. Follow the emergency routes to your dorms, and _do not leave until the problem is dealt with_," Shimizu's voice blared.

"Come on, let's go!" Asuka said, grabbing Chiharu's arm. "We need to go. Now!" Chiharu quickly reached down to grab Impmon, seeing that he was too worn out to run much further on his own. "A Gate must have opened up," Asuka muttered.

"The question is: why?" Lotosmon said, following close behind. The school was coming down around them. They had to get out. Fast.

Dai ran over to them. "Are you guys okay?" he asked, and both girls nodded.

"What are you still doing here?" Chiharu asked.

"Nakayama told all the M-Class students to stay behind and help everyone else get out. Come on, hurry!" he beckoned. They had almost reached the door when the ceiling caved in, blocking the path. They were trapped, and Ogudomon had reached them.

Chiharu looked at her Digivice, hoping for some information, but all it said was 'No Data'. Her eyes widened. Was she going to die?

"Lotosmon!" Asuka yelled.

"BlackSeraphimon!" Dai yelled out.

Both nodded. "Got it!" they said in unison, and placed themselves in position on either side of it.

"Seven Heavens!"

"Seven's Fantasia!"

Both attacks hit the enemy head-on, but it seemed to take little to no damage. Impmon growled slightly in anger and frustration. He was useless as he was now. If he could only Digivolve to Mega, he could beat this thing no problem! But right now, he was too weak, too tired. He could do nothing.

Ogudomon turned to face the humans. Its gaze fell towards the small Digimon in Chiharu's arms. "My Lord," it said, leaning down, getting even closer to them. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen." It began laughing.

Impmon's eyes widened a fraction. "I _knew_ I recognized you from _somewhere_," he hissed. "Come to do _his_ bidding, huh?"

But Ogudomon shook its head, still laughing. "No, the others are nothing more than eggs now, just like you were mere days ago. But I'm about to change that. Lord Lucemon will rise again, and the only thing standing in his way is this school. Once it's gone, he'll be able to be reborn, and regain his power as Ruler of the Digital World."

Impmon laughed. "So they bit the dust too, huh? Serves them right!"

"Um, Impmon, what's going on?" Chiharu asked. "What are you talking about?"

But Impmon ignored her. "But I'm a threat to that, right? You came here to finish me off before I got strong enough to go back and destroy you?"

"It seems we _did_ underestimate, if only a little," it laughed. "But yes, it's true. With you out of the way, things will go much more smoothly. Of course, that also means getting rid of your human pet."

Chiharu didn't appreciate the 'pet' remark, but she was too terrified to say a word about it. She could only watch as it drew nearer, getting ready to kill them all.

"So who else is going for this 'restore Lucemon to power' thing, huh?" Impmon asked, and the humans realized what he was doing. He was buying time. The teachers would definitely find them, and save them, they just had to stay alive long enough for them to arrive. And as long as Impmon kept it talking, it wouldn't be able to attack. "That Shadowlord that Lucemon made, right? Apocalymon? The Dex? Am I getting close?"

"Yes, all of them stand by Lord Lucemon's side. And to stand by his side means to stand against you," it told them.

"And Reapermon too, right? And does he still have the Devas under his thumb, too?"

"Why, yes, we all follow him faithfully. Even if you _do_ regain all of your original powers, you cannot hope to stop all of us."

"You do realize you're just pawns to him, right?" Impmon asked. "None of you mean anything to him. You're just a tool, and once you aren't any use to him anymore, he's just going to throw you away."

"How _dare_ you make such ridiculous accusations?!" it yelled, and the humans, Lotosmon, and BlackSeraphimon narrowed their eyes at Impmon.

"You just _had_ to go that extra mile, huh?" Chiharu asked. She was still confused as to what this entire thing was about, but that could wait until later. Right now, she had to worry about getting out of this alive. She could only understand that this had something to do with the Great Demon Lords, because of the repeated use of Lucemon's name.

"You will pay for your impudence!" Ogudomon yelled, but just as it was about to attack, when an arrow landed in one of its long legs. The entire group turned to see Dianamon standing nearby with Nakayama. He had a much different aura around him than he did in class. It was a little bit scary.

"I don't know how you made it into this school," he said coolly, "but you will _deeply_ regret it."

"To have laid a hand against our students," Shimizu said, approaching them from a hallway behind the enemy Digimon, "is unforgivable. Go, Sakuyamon!"

A Digimon that looked surprisingly human, with a black bodysuit and golden mask, appeared behind her. "Amethyst Mandala!" she yelled in a familiar voice, and Chiharu realized that this must be Renamon's Mega form. Sakuyamon struck the ground with her staff and a barrier seemed to surround Ogudomon, protecting the trapped students.

"Dianamon, now!" Nakayama yelled, and Dianamon nodded, darting towards her target.

"Crescent Harken!" she yelled, and its eyes seemed to glaze over, and it began attacking itself. However, it soon snapped out of it, surprising teacher and Digimon.

"I see. So there _are_ some fairly strong Digimon here as well," it said. "I will be back, and with reinforcements." What looked like a large gate opened up behind it, and it slid through. Before anyone could react, the Gate closed. Nakayama approached the students.

"Are you okay?" he asked, and his scary aura was gone. They each nodded. He helped them up, and looked Impmon in the eye. "You have some explaining to do."

"I had nothing to do with that!" he yelled.

"It was after you," Shimizu said, approaching them. Sakuyamon glowed, and when the glow subsided, Renamon stood in her place. "Why?"

"Like I know!"

"Yes, you do," Chiharu said quietly. "You knew _exactly_ why it was here, didn't you? It said it was here for you, why?"

"Not just me! It was after Luce—" but he seemed to realize what he was about to say and covered his mouth.

"It was after what?" Chiharu asked, raising an eyebrow, but her partner said nothing more.

"My only guess is that this has something to do with the Demon Lords," Nakayama said. "Ogudomon was one of their loyal servants. It was probably trying to bring him back to power. Isn't that right, Impmon?"

"That's what it said," he mumbled.

"Okay, what's going on?" Chiharu asked. "Why are you always trying to pry things from Impmon?"

"I'd hoped you wouldn't have to find out, but it seems that we may have no choice—"

"No!" Impmon yelled. "She doesn't need to know."

"If she's your partner, she has to," Nakayama argued.

Shimizu spoke up, giving Impmon a calculating look. "You just indicated that you _do_ remember your past life."

"Oh, uh… did I?" he asked, looking nervous. "Um, uh, well… Hehe…"

"Shimizu," Renamon said, putting a paw on her partner's shoulder. "Don't you think you should give the children time to recover before interrogating them? This was probably very scary for them." Shimizu sighed and nodded.

"But this isn't over," she told him. She looked back at Nakayama. "Come on, we need to see if anyone else is hurt."

Nakayama nodded. "Dianamon, can you take them back to their dorms?"

"Um, Nakayama-sensei?" Chiharu asked, still shaken a little shaken up. "Is it okay if I stay in Dorm A, with Asuka and Dai? I don't want to be alone tonight…"

"I'll talk to the Headmaster about staying overnight, but for now, I'm sure it would be fine," the teacher replied before following Shimizu out to see if anyone else needed their help.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu sat on the sofa of the Dorm A lounge with her knees curled to her chest. Impmon was laying in one of the chairs, asleep. Just who _was_ Impmon, exactly? She could tell now that he was not like the rest of the Digimon. From the way the teachers acted, he could be really dangerous. If that was the case, they'd probably separate the two of them. The worst part of that was that, during that ordeal, she felt a tiny spark inside her, and suddenly, she felt a little bit closer to Impmon. The bond must have actually started to form. It made her happy, but sad at the same time. If he really was going to be taken from her, it would be like they'd ripped a piece of her out.

"How are you doing?" Asuka asked softly.

"Fine, I guess," Chiharu answered. "I just… it seems like Impmon knows a lot, but he's not saying _anything_. I think our bond is actually forming, but he still keeps me out."

"Did you ever think that maybe he's keeping you in the dark now because he doesn't want you to think less of him?" her friend asked, and Chiharu sighed.

"I guess so." She thought for a moment. "Do you think that, maybe… he might have something to do with the Demon Lords?"

"Him?" Asuka mused, looking at Impmon's sleeping figure. When he slept like that, he seemed almost innocent. "Nah, he couldn't."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Are you going to tell the Headmaster that he remembers?" Dianamon asked.

"We don't know that for sure," Nakayama responded.

"It's obvious, though!" she insisted. "And the fact that he _does_ remember puts us at a big risk. When he Digivolves and gets all of his powers back, he could very easily kill us all. None of us would be a match for him!"

"We subdued him before," Nakayama pointed out.

Dianamon sighed. "Couldn't you sense it? He'd been bound, unable to fight back. He did nothing as we sealed him, remember? We'd stand no chance, if he was capable of fighting us at full strength. We should just separate them now, before their bond gets any stronger!"

"Dianamon," the teacher sighed. "Couldn't you tell? I think he was very worried about Chiharu. He bought time for them, to save them."

"He was probably just saving his own hide, knowing that he couldn't fight as a Rookie," Dianamon argued.

"No, it's more than that. Besides, as we've said before, those two were destined to be partners. If we split them apart… we'd be tempting fate itself."

"We're tempting fate as it is right now, letting him roam free! We should at least place restrictions on him."

"He doesn't seem too hostile right now," Nakayama said rationally. "If we were to put all sorts of restrictions on him, he'd become very bitter. He'd have every reason to attack us once he was capable. I think that being partnered with Chiharu is good for him. He may have all of his memories from before, but he's different than he was. So, no, we aren't telling the Headmaster."

Dianamon sighed, but said, "Fine. But if he takes one step out of line, we strike immediately."

"I suppose that's fair," Nakayama said after a moment of thought.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The next morning, Chiharu awoke, completely oblivious to the arguments concerning her and her Digimon. She'd gotten permission to stay in Dorm A for the night, and had shared a room with Asuka. Impmon had stayed on the couch, because no one wanted to move him in case they woke him up.

"Feeling better?" Asuka asked. Chiharu nodded. Her friend smiled. "We don't have classes today, because they have to fix the school up. At this rate, though, we'll probably be back in the main building in a few days though." She sighed. "So we've got to enjoy our freedom while it lasts!"

Chiharu laughed and stretched. She stood, and having slept in her uniform, she didn't have to change before heading down the stairs to see how Impmon was doing.

The Digimon in question was sitting boredly on the couch. He looked up to see Chiharu coming and got down. "I'm hungry," were the first words out of his mouth. She rolled her eyes.

"Good morning to you, too," she said dryly. "I'm not sure where we're having breakfast, because the cafeteria's probably nothing but rocks right now."

Dai walked over and leaned over the couch. "I heard we're having breakfast out in the back courtyard, by the forest! Come on!"

Impmon was the first one out the door (big surprise there), and the rest followed him. Chiharu smiled, but then remembered something that had happened the day before, when they were attacked.

She'd checked her Digivice, but there had been no information on Ogudomon whatsoever. What kind of Digimon was it that not even the Digivice could tell her?

**Next time:  
Chiharu: Alright, fess up, right now!  
Impmon: I don't have anything to say.  
Hiroshi: We've got a big problem! Another Gate opened!  
Chiharu: Impmon, help!**

**And there you have it, folks~ Things are starting to get a little interesting, don't you think? In case you haven't figured it out, the Q&A is actually at the beginning of the episodes, just to let you know. So, just remember: review, and give us questions. The characters will be glad to answer~ (Mostly)**


	4. A Truth Revealed

**Question time~ We've got two for Nakayama-sensei~  
Nakayama: Me?  
Question 1: What was it like in college with your Digimon with you? Or were there other Digimon in the college other than yours?  
Nakayama: Oh, yeah. We don't have one here in Japan, but there are college branches of Digimon Academy scattered across the world. I got my degree over in America, actually. There were a lot of other students there, all with Digimon, so it was never a dull moment.  
Question 2: How long have you had your Digimon?  
Nakayama: Hmm… let's see… I started going to the Academy when I was about nine, I think. I picked out her Egg, but it took at least a few months to hatch, so they had me helping out around the school in the afternoon, doing the odd jobs, like sorting new standard decks, watching over the Eggs in the Nursery, things like that. It's actually being able to help out like that that made me want to become a teacher. But, to answer your question, I've been partners with Dianamon for a long time now, and we're very close. There is no one I trust more than my Digimon.**

**Whee~ Episode 4's here~ Okay, so, I don't own the Digimon themselves, but the Academy, humans, and plotline are all mine. Okey-dokey?**

When Chiharu sat down for breakfast, she could hear the whispers, much like the time when she'd first come to the Academy. But she thought they'd have been at least a _little_ less excited, now that a few days had gone by.

She visibly winced when she saw Katashi and Starmon approaching, and Impmon started looking defensive.

The C-Class student surprised them, though. "Hey, look, I'm sorry about yesterday. I was… a little out of line."

"A _little_?" Impmon growled, but the human boy ignored him.

"We heard you faced Ogudomon yesterday," Starmon said, and that immediately explained why everyone else had been whispering about her. They were impressed that she'd been face-to-face with a strong Mega Level Digimon, with a Rookie partner, and lived. She owed it all to Impmon, though. He was the real hero, having bought enough time for them before the teachers had arrived.

She frowned, remembering just _how_ Impmon had stalled Ogudomon. She had too many questions, and not nearly enough answers. But whenever she tried to bring it up, Impmon clammed up. She highly doubted that she'd ever get an answer out of him.

"Yeah, I did," she told the two in front of her, trying to push her thoughts out of the way for now. "I'm really just lucky, though." She laughed a little. "Lucky that Impmon's got a big mouth!"

"Hey!" He yelled, and Katashi and Starmon looked more than a little confused.

"He kept Ogudomon talking long enough for the teachers to come save us," Dai explained, having heard their conversation. "I don't know how he did it, but this little guy saved our lives," he said, resting his elbow on his 'savior's head.

"Get off my head!" the little imp Digimon yelled, causing the group, along with Katashi and Starmon, to laugh.

"What's up between you and Akihiro?" Chiharu remembered to ask. "I was told that the two of you are always fighting. Why?"

"Oh, that?" the Tamer asked. "Well, a few years ago, we were best friends, but then he just kinda changed. He started hanging out with the wrong people, and I kept trying to get him to stop, and that's when we started fighting. It kind of turned into a mutual hatred."

"That's no reason to attack each other," Chiharu said. _Or me_, she added silently. "Maybe you guys should try making up sometime."

Katashi didn't answer. Instead, he just walked away with a wave over his shoulder. Asuka and Dai sighed.

"Those two are a lost cause," Asuka said, and Dai nodded. Chiharu shrugged. At least she tried. What they did now was up to them.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Later, back in the dorm, Chiharu sat on her bed and looked down at Impmon, who'd chosen to sit on the floor.

"Alright, fess up, right now!" she demanded, once again bothered by his secrets.

"I don't have anything to say," the Digimon responded. His Digi-Destined partner sighed.

"Look, we're partners, and that means we've got to tell each other stuff. And I think we're actually forming the bond that should have been there before." Impmon was about to protest, but she stopped him. "I know you feel it too. That's why you came to look for me yesterday, when Ogudomon first showed up, right?"

Impmon sighed, but decided to tell the truth and nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

"So you should tell me what's up," she repeated. "Maybe we can start with how you know Ogudomon."

"Look, I don't wanna talk about it, okay?" he muttered. "At least not right now."

"But you'll tell me sometime?"

"… Probably," he responded.

"Is that a promise?"

After a moment, he nodded. "Yeah, it's a promise."

She smiled. At least she knew she'd get the answers she wanted sometime. The only question was when he'd tell her.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Asuka had been right. With the help of the Digimon, the school was rebuilt within three days, and classes resumed. It slightly disappointed Chiharu, because that meant spending the second half of the day alone again.

During lunch, she sat with Asuka, Dai, Hiroshi, and their Digimon. She looked down at her schedule to see what it looked like for the afternoon. Right after lunch, she had a free period, followed by Physical Education (which could apparently be held during regular _or_ Digimon classes) with Aoki, Digimon History, also with Aoki, and something called Technical Abilities with Nishimura, whatever that meant.

Asuka looked over her shoulder at the schedule and smiled. "Hey, you've got next period free. Dai and I have Team Battling, so you should see if you can come watch. It's gotta be pretty hard, taking Team Battling when you're the only one in D-Class. You can see how a team battle is supposed to go, so you'll be ready if you ever get another Digi-Destined in your class."

"Okay, I'll see about that," Chiharu said with a smile.

Impmon muttered, "Don't need it," but only Chiharu heard. He was actually a little nice sometimes, but he could still be extremely rude. It kind of bugged her.

She followed her M-Class friends to the Team Battling room, where about ten other kids were already waiting. They'd been telling the truth. There _was_ a ten year old girl here, partnered with a Digimon named QueenChessmon, according to Chiharu's Digivice.

"What's _she_ doing here?" the girl asked, looking at Chiharu curiously.

"Well, Haruka," Dai said, "Chiharu's got a free period, and since she's the only one in her class, she wanted to see what Team Battling is normally like."

Chiharu looked at all the other Digimon in the room. There were HiAndromon, Boltmon, UlforceVeedramon, Venusmon, Shakamon, TigerVespamon, Valkyrimon, Goldramon, and Alphamon. They all looked very strong, making the Digi-Destined girl feel self-conscious, since Impmon was still at only Rookie Level.

"We call first dibs!" Dai and Asuka called out together, racing out of the observation room and into the classroom itself.

Ikeda smiled at the two of them. "You two sure are excited," she laughed.

"Well, Chiharu's got a free period, so we wanted to show her how we battle," Dai explained, and Asuka nodded.

Ikeda smiled. "Well, there's no one better to show her how a real team operates than you two, I suppose." She went over to the panel. "What level?"

Both students looked at each other for a moment. "Level 8," Asuka said, and Ikeda pressed a few buttons before leaving the room. The classroom faded to a desert scene. It seemed like there was nothing else there, other than Chiharu's two friends and their Digimon. Suddenly, sand sprayed up in all directions, revealing seven or eight large, black bug-like Digimon. According to Chiharu's Digivice, they were GranKuwagamon, Mega Level.

Asuka and Dai nodded at each other before looking at their Digimon. "Go!" They yelled together.

Lotosmon and BlackSeraphimon stood back to back as the group of GranKuwagamon closed in on them. "Are you ready?" Lotosmon asked.

"Always," BlackSeraphimon responded. "Seven Heavens!" he yelled, and it hit one of the GranKuwagamon head on, making it instantly disintegrate.

Lotosmon dodged the two coming at her, jumping out of the way so that they collided with each other. They were down for a moment, but not out. But since they were out of the way, the pair of fighting Digimon ignored them for the moment. "Serpent Cure!" Lotosmon yelled, and a white aura was released from the staff with the two snakes twining around it, called the Caduceus. Two more of the enemies disappeared.

Chiharu was in awe of how well those two were able to work together. With the way Impmon was, they'd probably never be able to work with anyone else that way. He had too much pride to let anyone help him.

Soon, the only ones left were the two that Lotosmon had knocked out before. They both glowed and combined, making Chiharu realized that they were combining their strengths to Digivolve. It was so easy to forget that this was just a simulation.

GrandisKuwagamon, as it was identified, targeted the two of them with its claws. "Grandis Scissors!"

The two just nearly dodged the attack, and Asuka yelled. "Springboard!" The random word confused Chiharu, but she assumed it had to do with some sort of plan the two had devised.

She was right. BlackSeraphimon cupped his hands and Lotosmon jumped and landed in them, from which he raised his arms upwards while she jumped again, using BlackSeraphimon as a springboard. She was positioned above GrandisKuwagamon, and crossed both her staves. "Serpent Ruin and Seven's Fantasia!" A black aura released from the Caduceus, while a rainbow aura released from the other. The two beams combined into one, heading down on GrandisKuwagamon.

"Seven Heavens!" BlackSeraphimon yelled, and the seven balls of light raced up to meet Lotosmon's attack. The aura coated the spheres, which then changed direction to hit the enemy square in the back. It disintegrated, and the desert scene faded away. When they reentered the observation room, Chiharu couldn't help but stare at them in amazement.

"That was… wow!" she exclaimed, and her friends laughed.

"Thanks," Dai said. "We've been a team basically since we started here, so we've had some practice."

Impmon looked bored. He muttered something that sounded like, "I could have taken them all in my sleep." Chiharu rolled her eyes at her partner. He said things like that, but so far, he hadn't been able to back up any of his claims, being just a Rookie.

The two headed to Physical Education, where they saw Aoki leaning against a wall, talking to Phantomon. When she turned around, she waved the two in. "Come on in, you two. Phantomon and I were just discussing what we could do with the two of you."

"Huh?" Chiharu asked, confused by what she might have meant.

"Well, during the Digimon half of the day, Phys Ed is usually used for Tamers to practice battling with each other. But…"

"I'm the only one in my class," Chiharu finished for her.

"Yes," Aoki said. "That's why Phantomon here's agreed to help me."

"What do you mean?" Chiharu asked.

"For this period, he's going to Degenerate to Rookie level, so we'll be at equal strength," Aoki explained. Phantomon glowed, and after a moment, he transformed into a small purple and white creature with ears that looked kind of like wings. "This is his Rookie form, Tsukaimon. Now, to the mats!" She led Chiharu and Impmon to an area of the gym covered with mats.

"So, how are we going to know who won?" Chiharu asked. "I mean, when does the fight stop?"

"We stop when one of our Digimon can't get up and continue fighting, or if one of us forfeits," Aoki explained. "Since it doesn't look like you've been to Technical Abilities at all yet, I won't use any cards this time."

"Cards?"

"You'll learn soon enough. Now let's get started, shall we?" Aoki asked, and Chiharu nodded.

Both took their positions at either side of the mats, their Digimon in front of them. Impmon smirked, glad to have his turn at a fight.

"Boom Bubble!" Tsukaimon called out, blowing a large amount of air, which would be painful upon impact, directly at Impmon. The little imp dodged just in time, snapping his fingers. Flames appeared on all six digits, and he hurled them at his opponent.

"Bada-Boom!" he yelled, and managed to hit Tsukaimon with two of the fireballs, while he'd dodged the rest. "Infernal Funnel!" A small whirlwind of fire started around Tsukaimon, who quickly flew out, but not completely unscathed.

"That's it!" Tsukaimon yelled. "No more holding back!" He rammed his body into Impmon, knocking him to the ground.

"Is that all you got?" the purple Digimon asked boredly, standing up. Chiharu couldn't believe it. It seemed like Impmon was beating the pants off her teacher's Digimon! Tsukaimon must have been holding back, for Impmon to do this much damage, but it still surprised her. The little guy seemed to enjoy fighting a little too much, constantly hurling fireballs at his opponent.

After about another ten minutes of Impmon avoiding Tsukaimon's attacks, yet always being able to get in a hit or two himself, Aoki sighed. "That's enough. I concede." She looked at Impmon. "You're very strong for a Rookie."

"Nah, he's just weak," he replied, not caring that Tsukaimon, who'd now Digivolved back into Phantomon, could hear him. "I don't like easy fights. They're boring."

Chiharu rolled her eyes, and they walked with Aoki and Phantomon to the Digimon History room, where they continued where they'd left off before. It was a little more interesting now, mainly because Impmon enjoyed making faces at Phantomon, seeing just how much he could tick off the ghost Digimon before he snapped. If there was one thing Chiharu had definitely managed to learn about her partner, it was that he was an instigator. It annoyed her a bit, being a pacifist, but she reasoned that they balanced each other out.

After History came the mysterious Technical Ability class. It turned out that it was on the other side of the school, so the two had to run as fast as they could to make it on time. They just barely made it.

Nishimura, who'd been sitting at his desk, most likely doing paperwork, looked up. He put his pen down and opened one of the drawers. He set what looked like a deck of cards on the desk, and motioned for her to come sit. She noticed that two chairs had been placed directly in front of the desk, probably because there was just her and Impmon. The two sat down.

"You're wondering what this class teaches, exactly," he said, and though it wasn't a question, his human student nodded. Her partner muttered something like "Not really", but he chose to ignore that, as many people did. "These cards are used in battle to enhance your Digimon's abilities, or to let them use an attack that they normally wouldn't be able to. There are two types of cards: Digital Ability and Digital Enhancement." He divided the deck into two groups. The cards on the left all showed different Digimon, while the ones on the right were a variety of things. Some looked like weapons, some were wings, and a few were labeled 'Speed' or 'Healing'. "The Digital Ability cards allow you to use a different Digimon's attack. Digital Enhancement cards, as you can see, have a variety of uses." He held up a card labeled 'Speed'. "For example…" he took out a Digivice that looked different than her own. It was mostly pale yellow, but there were pale blue half-circles around the screen, and the two buttons below were pale blue as well. He showed her a slot on the side, which was just large enough to fit one of the cards in. "Your Digimon is connected to your Digivice. When you use a card, the data it contains flows through the Digivice, and transfers to your Digimon. Allow me to demonstrate." He motioned for Minervamon to stand next to him, and she complied. "Digital Enhancement. Speed: Connect!" he said, inserting the card in the slot. The card glowed slightly, and Minervamon seemed to disappear in a blur, appearing on the other side of the room. She returned the same way, and the card lost its glow. Nishimura set it back on the table.

"Where would I put it in mine?" Chiharu asked, referring to how her Digivice was different than her teacher's. She held out her Digivice.

"There are three types of Digivices," he explained. "Each is capable of scanning a card, but in their own different ways. Mine, a D-Control, is the model issued to the teachers. The other Tamers here are given D-Powers, and yours is called a D-Agent. D-Powers and D-Agents scan a card when it is slid through." He took her Digivice and turned it on its side, showing her the indentation going down the side. "The card is slid through here, which is how it activates."

"I think I get it," the Digi-Destined said, taking her D-Agent back.

"Every student is issued a standard deck to use in battle," Nishimura continued, handing her the deck he'd split.

"Thanks," she said.

After class, she and Impmon left, heading towards one of the inner courtyards. They saw Dai, Asuka, and Hiroshi sitting on a bench, talking. Their Digimon stood nearby. "Hey!" she called, walking over.

"Oh, hey!" Dai said. He moved over just a little to make room for her, and she sat down.

"What were you guys talking about?" she asked.

"Well, today's Friday, so that means the weekend's about to start. That means we get to leave campus and hang out around the city," Hiroshi explained.

"Yeah, and we've usually been so swamped with homework that we haven't been able to go out in _forever_!" Asuka complained.

"Nice!" Chiharu said, getting a little excited. Maybe she'd stop by her house and let her parents know how she was doing. She listened to her friends make plans, getting excited with them. This was going to be great!

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu stood with her friends at the front gate the next morning, ready to head out. The Digimon agreed to stay back at the Academy. While the world knew about Digimon, they'd draw a lot of attention. Just as they were about to leave, Aoki walked over. She put a hand on Chiharu's shoulder. "Sorry," she said. "But you're not allowed to leave campus."

"What?" she asked, confused. "Why?"

"Digi-Destined are very rare. We can't risk anything happening to you. Here on campus, we can keep you safe, but we can't guarantee that in the city," she explained. "I'm very sorry, but you're going to have to stay here."

"I… I understand," she said sadly. She looked back at her friends.

"Do you want us to stay with you?" Asuka asked, but Chiharu shook her head.

"You were all excited about this. Go on, I'll be fine." She didn't feel fine, but she couldn't let the others know that. They no doubt already felt bad enough. She looked back at Aoki. "Does that mean I can't go visit my parents?"

"While you can't visit them," the teacher started, "that doesn't mean that they can't come visit you. Why don't you give them a call?"

Chiharu nodded. "Okay," she said. She looked back at the other three. "Bring me something?" she asked.

They nodded, and then headed out. Chiharu headed back to the dorm and sat on her bed.

"I thought you were leaving," Impmon said.

"Apparently I'm not allowed to," she replied with a sigh. "Something about me being too valuable to risk or something."

"Shouldn't you take that as a compliment, then?" her partner asked.

"Well, yeah, but I was really looking forward to this." She sat up. "Anyway, I'm going to call my parents to see if they want to come visit." She reached for her phone and dialed her mom's cell. "Hey, Mom," she said.

"Chiharu!" her mother replied. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Mom, I'm fine, why?"

"We saw the news a few days ago. They said the school was attacked! I would have called sooner, but work is making me very busy," she replied, clearly glad that her daughter was fine.

"Yeah, a Mega Digimon opened a Gate, and it attacked the school. I'm okay, though. My partner, Impmon, saved me."

"Oh, thank goodness."

"Um, what would you and Dad say to coming down to visit for a little while? The teachers said it was okay," she said.

"That sounds wonderful," her mother replied. "I'll let your father know. We'll be down in about an hour. I love you, honey."

"I love you too, Mom," she replied. "See you in a little bit." She hung up and looked at Impmon. "Congratulations, Impmon, you get to meet my parents."

"Whoopee," he said without enthusiasm, twirling his finger in the air.

"Be nice!"

They headed down to the front hall to wait. BlackSeraphimon, who'd been wandering, found them. "What are you two doing?" he asked.

"My parents are coming in a little while to visit," Chiharu explained. "I thought we'd wait down her for a little bit."

BlackSeraphimon nodded towards one of the doors to the side. "That leads into a room for students to hang out. You could wait in there."

"Okay," the Digi-Destined replied, and she followed him through the door, Impmon at her side. She noticed two chairs on either side of a chessboard. "Do you play chess?" she asked, and Dai's Digimon nodded. "Wanna play for a little bit?"

"I don't see why not," he replied. The two sat down at the chess table, while Impmon plopped down on the couch, clicking on the TV. He started channel surfing while the other two set up their game.

They'd reached a stalemate twice, having to start over. They were in the middle of their third game when the door opened, and Chiharu's parents walked in.

"Mom! Dad!" she yelled, running over to meet them. She looked back at Impmon. "Get over here." He groaned, but complied. "This is my partner, Impmon," she told her parents. "Impmon, these are my parents."

"Whatever," he muttered, and she sent him a harsh glare.

"Sorry, he's a bit rude sometimes," she apologized. "Just ignore him."

"So," her dad asked. "How are you liking it here?"

"It's pretty nice," Chiharu replied with a smile. "I've made some pretty cool friends." She nodded her head at BlackSeraphimon. "That's my friend Dai's Digimon, BlackSeraphimon."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he said in greeting.

"Come on, let me show you around!" she said, pulling both her parents' arms. Impmon went back to continue his channel surfing.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

After the tour, she turned back to her parents. "Can you stay for a little while longer? I want you to meet my friends when they get back."

"Sure," her dad said. She grinned.

"Great!"

They'd only had to wait a few more minutes, because then the three returned.

"Hey, guys!" she yelled, calling them over. When they reached her, she motioned to her parents. "Guys, these are my parents. Mom, Dad, these are my friends Asuka, Dai, and Hiroshi."

"Hi," the three said.

Chiharu's stomach growled, and she laughed a bit. "I think dinner should be ready soon. I'll go get Impmon. He's hungry too, no doubt." She left to retrieve the little imp. As soon as she opened the door to the lounge, though, the school began shaking, much like it had when Ogudomon had arrived. "Impmon!" she yelled, and he was almost immediately by her side.

"It's another Gate," he said, confirming her fears. She didn't know how he knew, but she figured it must have been an instinctive thing for Digimon. She ran back to the front hall, where Hiroshi had mysteriously gone missing. "Where's Hiroshi?" she asked.

"The idiot went to go see what's going on," Asuka responded. Lotosmon and BlackSeraphimon had taken their positions behind their Tamers.

"We've got a big problem!" Hiroshi yelled, running back. "Another Gate opened!"

"What came through, do you know?" Asuka asked.

"I'm not sure," he replied. "It's not as big or strong as Ogudomon, but I think there's a lot of them."

Chiharu turned back to her parents. "You've gotta get out of here," she told them. "It's too dangerous!" But it was too late. Whatever had come through had just arrived.

It looked like a giant, creepy flower, with a lot of vines and such flowing down it. Four of the vines ended in smaller flowers with long, pointed teeth. According to her D-Agent, it was called Blossomon, Ultimate Level. Its attacks were Spiral Flower, Thorn Whip, and Pollinosis Shower.

"How many are there, do you think?" she called to Hiroshi.

"Well, I saw three coming out, but the Gate was still open when I left," he replied.

"Oh-ho, what do we have here?" it mused, looking around. Its eyes landed on Chiharu's parents. "So weak, with no partner to defend them." It smirked. "I believe you two will be first!" It reached out its long vines to grab them.

"Watch out!" Chiharu yelled, pushing her parents out of the way. Blossomon wrapped its vines tightly around her, no doubt trying to squeeze her to death. "Impmon, help!" she choked out.

Impmon watched as his partner was attacked. As a Rookie, he wasn't even able to help her. The bond had gotten stronger between the two of them, so they could even be considered friends now. But he was so _weak_, unable to protect her. "Dammit," he swore, clenching his fists.

Then, he felt an immense, yet familiar power flow through him. Everyone could see him glow, and when the glow subsided, the other students, their Digimon, and even Blossomon gasped. The large flower almost dropped Chiharu. Standing in Impmon's place was a tall, biker-demon Digimon. He wore all black, and had a long, armored tail. His fingers ended in sharp claws, and he had sharp fangs. His eyes were blood red.

"Beelzemon," Lotosmon said quietly, in shock.

Chiharu looked down at her Digivolved partner. She'd managed to hear what Lotosmon had said, but she couldn't have heard right. Beelzemon? One of the Demon Lords was her partner?

"Let her go!" he yelled angrily, pulling out a pair of guns. "You _don't_ wanna get on my bad side." But Blossomon kept its grip on the Digi-Destined. "You asked for it," he growled. "Double Impact!" Bullets fired from both double-barreled guns called the Berenjena, and hit Blossomon with such force that it was forced to drop Chiharu. He managed to get there in time to catch her, and set her down. "Get outta here, got it?" he said, pushing her away. She complied, but only went as far as to reach her friends before turning around to watch the battle. Her friends and their Digimon watched in silence, unable to comprehend what was going on. Tiny, annoying Impmon, a Rookie, had managed to Digivolve straight to Mega, and Beelzemon, the Demon Lord, no less!

"M-My Lord," Blossomon said, suddenly nervous. "I had no idea what you were the partner of this human. P-Please have mercy!"

He growled in response. "Ya mess with her, ya mess with me!" he yelled, pushing off from the ground, flipping over the flower Digimon. His arms crossed over each other, and his claws got a faint red glow. "Darkness Claw!" The attack caused Blossomon to disintegrate.

He landed on his feet and turned towards his partner and her friends, who were all staring at him, wide eyed. Chiharu's parents had been knocked unconscious.

"Well," he muttered. "Looks like the cat's out of the bag."

**Next time:  
Chiharu: So, you're a Demon Lord?  
Beelzemon: Yep.  
Shimizu: This could be a problem.  
Ikeda: It looks like we've found another Digi-Destined!  
Hideaki: Just leave me alone.**

**Sorry this came kinda fast, but I didn't want to be sitting here for ten episodes without Impmon Digivolving. I have things I want to get done, and in order to do so, I have to pick up the pace just a tiny bit. I have more people coming, and I wanted Beelzemon fully Digivolved before any of them got here. Also, don't forget to review, and ask us your questions~ PLEASE~**


	5. New Student

**The questions are here~ Yay~ Okay, first one's for me: Do you accept OCs?  
Me: Well, not for this one specifically. **_**However,**_** I think I plan on making a bit of a 'spin-off' of this, because I have most of this planned out, but I know there are some things people are going to want that I can't fit into my plans. So I'll let you know when my spin-off starts, and your OC can be in that. Or, if you want, your OC can have a small, maybe repeated, appearance, here and there. Just let me know which you'd prefer, or both.  
Question 2, to all the Digimon: Do you always stay at Mega? And if you're forced back to Rookie, would you have to steadily get up to Mega again?  
Lotosmon: Well, usually we're able to stay at the level we want. We try to stay as high of a level as we can, so that we can work with our partners more easily. It's a pain to have to constantly Digivolve.  
BlackSeraphimon: Another thing to take into consideration is size. If one of us were to reach a level that's a little too big to move around in the hallways, we'd only Digivolve to that level for certain classes, or if we're practicing with our partner. And if we were forced back to Rookie Level, I'm not really all that sure…  
Dianamon: I believe that would depend on whether or not our partner had a Warp Digivolve card or not.  
Beelzemon: I don't need to worry bout that kinda stuff. When I'm a Mega, I **_**stay**_** Mega.  
Lotosmon, BlackSeraphimon, & Dianamon: Unless you're turned back into a Digi-Egg.  
Beelzemon: Shaddup!  
Question 3: Beelzemon, are you aware that your guns name means Eggplant? And if so, do you like the name, or would you change it?  
Beelzemon: Yeah, I know what 'Berenjena' means. But, nah, I don't think I'll change 'em. It sounds cool, no matter what it means.**

**Episode 5~ Yay~ Anyway, I do not own the Digimon themselves, but I do, however, own any and all human characters.**

Everyone stared in shock at the Digimon before them. Chiharu, however, frowned.

"So you _did_ remember," she muttered. "You knew all along, but you never told me." _Some partner_, she thought.

"Oh, yeah, like you would've believed me," Beelzemon responded, rolling his crimson eyes.

Shimizu and Sakuyamon came running over. "We took care of the other Blossomon, but I heard one came—" she stopped as her eyes fell on Beelzemon. "This could be a problem," she muttered. She turned back to her Digimon. "Sakuyamon." The humanoid Digimon raised her staff, but Chiharu moved between Sakuyamon and Beelzemon, who'd drawn the Berenjena again.

"No," she said. "I won't let you hurt him. I don't care what he's done in the past, right now, he's my partner."

"He's dangerous, Miura," Shimizu said. "He needs to be detained."

"No!" Chiharu yelled, still rooted to the spot. "Without a partner, I'm not a Digi-Destined anymore, right? That means you'd be losing a very valuable student." She knew that if anything was going to get Shimizu to budge on this, it would be the thought of losing their only Digi-Destined.

"Very well," she said after a moment's pause. "Return to your dorm. Someone will come to get you later, but right now, we need to make sure that the other students are okay. And don't worry," she said, glancing down at Chiharu's parents. "We'll be sure they get home safe."

"Okay," Chiharu answered, and headed towards her dorm. Her friends just stared after her and her Digimon, not saying a word.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"So, you're a Demon Lord?" she asked, sitting on her bed. Beelzemon was leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the room.

"Yep," he said. "Why? You got a problem with that?"

"I'm not sure…" she answered honestly. "I just want the truth. Will you tell me about before? Like, how you wound up here, as an Egg?"

"Well, like Aoki told ya before, there were seven of us: Leviamon, Barbamon, Belphemon, Daemon, Lilithmon, Lucemon, and me. For a long time, we ruled the Digital World, with Lucemon in charge of all of us. He hated my guts, and I hated his. I didn't like his way of doing things."

"And what _was_ his way of doing things?" Chiharu interrupted.

"He liked destroying anything and everything. He sent us out a lot to do his dirty work. I hate fighting weak opponents, though. An easy fight ain't a fun fight. But he made me do it anyway. He wanted me outta the way all the time, cuz he knew I was stronger than he was. I didn't care about leading. I just wanted to do my own thing. Lucemon got a bit paranoid, though, so he let it slip to some Digimon that were working with humans where our hideout was. He sealed me to the wall so I couldn't move, before he and the others left, so when the humans got there, it was easy for them to turn me into an Egg. After that, next thing I knew, I was on the floor in front of you. My guess, though, since Ogudomon showed up, is that they got to the others, and turned them back, too. They've gotta be here too, somewhere. Maybe where they kept my Egg." He shrugged.

"So when Ogudomon said he wanted Lucemon back in power…"

"He must've known. Ogudomon and the Shadowlord were Lucemon's right and left hands, so of course they'd want him back on the throne. I'm almost sorry he bit the dust, though," he said with a laugh. "I wanted to do it myself. He got what he deserved, anyway. Ogudomon probably sensed where I was, even though I was pretty weak as a Rookie. He wanted to take me out as a favor to Lucemon, I bet."

"So, do you think he'll be back?" she asked cautiously.

"Who, Ogudomon? Definitely." He looked out the window. "We gotta go now. They're here for us."

The two headed down the stairs to meet Nakayama, Ikeda, Dianamon, and Apollomon at the door.

"We're going down to the Headmaster's office now," Ikeda said, leading the way.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Beelzemon, who seemed to refuse to sit, leaned against the wall in the Headmaster's office, while Chiharu sat down in a chair, waiting for someone to come talk to them. And older man, followed by a white armored Digimon with purple wings entered the room. Dynasmon, Mega Level. Attacks: Dragon's Roar, Dragon's Breath, and Dragon Collider.

"Chiharu Miura," the man said. "Digimon Academy's only Digi-Destined student, partnered with Beelzemon, one of the Seven Great Demon Lords."

"That's me," she said quietly.

"I am the Headmaster of Digimon Academy. Dynasmon is my partner." The Digimon said nothing. "We need to discuss what to do about your partner."

"I'm right here, ya know!" he yelled, annoyed that he was being talked about like he wasn't there.

"Put simply, we see him as a danger to the Academy," the Headmaster continued as though Beelzemon hadn't interrupted. "He is a Demon Lord, and his temper is highly unstable."

"Please don't turn him back into a Digi-Egg!" Chiharu pleaded. "He's my partner, and from what I understand you need me. He won't hurt anyone he doesn't need to." She turned to look at him. "Right, Beelzemon?"

The Demon Lord in question nodded. "Yeah. I ain't just gonna go running around, shooting people, ya know."

The Headmaster studied the two for a long time. "We will be monitoring the both of you, but for now, we won't take action."

"Thank you!" Chiharu smiled.

"I believe Nakayama is waiting outside for you," Headmaster said. "Go on."

The two left, and sure enough, Nakayama and Dianamon were right outside the room. "I thought we should explain a few things, clear some things up." He led them to his classroom, which had survived the attack. "First, I know Beelzemon must be curious as to what happened after we took him, right?"

"Yeah," Beelzemon nodded.

"Well, it took a few months, but we finally managed to track down the other Demon Lords. It was a long battle, and we lost a lot of friends, but we were finally able to take them down. We took their Eggs and put them in the same room we'd put yours so that we could monitor them and make sure they never hatched. We were shocked, and a little worried, when your Egg hatched, but we decided to wait. Personally, I'm glad we did, because you look like you're on our side this time. After all, you saved Chiharu's life." Nakayama smiled at the both of them.

"I got a question," Beelzemon said.

"Shoot."

"We were in charge of the Digital World. What happened when we were gone?"

"Well," Nakayama said, "right now, the Headmaster is currently letting the Digital World run itself, but if we're ever needed, he's ready to send some teachers as representatives of the Academy to settle things in different parts of the Digital World. All of the followers scattered, but…"

"They're starting to regroup," Beelzemon guessed, and Nakayama nodded. "Figured as much. Ogudomon said that he's not the only one trying to get Lucemon back into power. The Shadowlord's in on it too, and so are the Vex, and the Devas. If they all attack at once, we're screwed. Not even _I_ can take them all on at once."

"Good point," Nakayama said. "And you're much stronger than even any of the teachers. We need more Digi-Destined, but unfortunately, that's something we can't control…"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

A boy stood in front of the Academy, staring at the doors. His parents had just dumped him here, without so much as a good-bye. They wanted nothing to do with him, and he knew it. He tried not to let it bother him, but he knew it did. They'd only ever seen him as a burden, and when they'd finally arrived in Japan, they'd been glad to drop him off at Digimon Academy, glad to have him off their hands. They'd probably never bother coming back for him, even after he graduated. He stepped through the doors and walked up to the desk. Before he could get a word out, a girl with long brown hair walked over to him, followed by a tall demon-looking Digimon.

"Hi," the girl said. "Are you new here?"

"Yeah," he muttered quietly.

"I just started about a week ago," she said. "I'm Chiharu Miura."

"Hideaki Kokawa," he replied. He just wanted nothing more than to be left alone. He turned to the receptionist. "My parents enrolled me a few days ago."

"Oh, yes, here you are!" she said. She pressed a button for the loudspeaker and said, "Ikeda, your presence is requested in the front hall." She turned back to Hideaki. "She'll be here in a moment to help you."

After a few minutes, Ikeda finally showed up, Apollomon right behind her. She smiled at Hideaki. "You must be our new student, Hideaki Kokawa." He nodded slightly. "Come on, I'll show you to the Digimon Nursery, where we keep the Eggs for new students." She led him down a few halls and up a flight of stairs until they reached a room full of Digi-Eggs. "Go ahead, pick—" She was cut off by the sound of cracking.

Hideaki found himself walking forward, getting closer to an Egg that was cracking, with a soft light glowing from inside it. When he stopped directly in front of it, the Egg shattered, leaving what looked like a yellow ball of slime with big red eyes lying on the ground. It blinked up at Hideaki.

"It looks like we've found another Digi-Destined," Ikeda exclaimed happily. "I'll go let the Headmaster know." She turned to Chiharu, who'd followed them. "Can you show him to the dorm?"

"No problem," she replied. "Come on." Hideaki followed the girl and her Digimon, carrying the ball of slime with him. "Let's see who that is…" she muttered, lifting up her D-Agent to see. "Zurumon, Fresh Level." She turned back to them. "He's so cute!"

"Keep moving," her Digimon growled, still walking.

"Aw, is someone getting jealous, Beelzemon?" Chiharu teased. She took Hideaki out to the dorms, and pointed to the one on the far right. "That's our dorm, Dorm E." She led him inside and up to the second floor. "Boys' dorms are that way," she said, motioning down the hall to the right. "You can pick any room."

He left wordlessly to check out the rooms. When he finally chose one, he sat down on the bed, hoping that he'd be left alone by that annoying girl. It was a simple bedroom: there was a bed on one of the walls with blue bedding. The walls were tan, and the wooden floor was bare. There was a desk with a computer and lamp opposite the bed, and there was a large window on the far wall. A bookshelf was on the wall right next to the bed. "So, you're Zurumon, huh?" he asked softly. "Seeing that you hatched from an Egg, I guess you don't have any parents either. We're in the same boat, then." He picked up his new Digimon and set him down on his chest.

"Hello?" Chiharu's voice came through the door.

"Just leave me alone," he replied.

"Sorry, but Nishimura-sensei wants to talk to you," she replied. "I'm opening the door, so you'd better not be getting changed or anything."

_Like I have any other clothes to change into_, he thought, but sat up, catching Zurumon as he started to fall. "Don't worry, I've got you," he told his Digimon softly.

The door opened. "Come on," Chiharu motioned, and Hideaki sighed, getting up. He followed Chiharu out of the dorm and back to the main building, where another teacher was waiting. He held a bag, and when the two reached him, he handed it to Hideaki.

"In this bag is your uniform, a standard deck of Digimon Cards, and your D-Agent. Miura will explain to you what they are." His eyes fell on Zurumon. "You're a Digi-Destined. That means that you were meant to be here. You should be proud, because here, you'll be making a difference." He looked back at Chiharu. "Miura, I can trust you to tell Kokawa all he needs to know?" The girl nodded. "Good. I leave him in your capable hands. Right now, I have a meeting to go to." And with that, he left.

"So, like I said, I'm still kind of new here, but I can tell you what I know. Basically, the school teaches kids how to be Tamers that work with Digimon. But someone, somewhere, chose us. We're partnered with a Digimon, and thanks to the bond that we form early on with our Digimon, we make a stronger team than the Tamers do with their Digimon, so we're kind of like the 'front line' people if there's ever any sort of war," Chiharu told him. "There are five different classes here. There's R-Class, C-Class, U-Class, M-Class, and D-Class, which is us. Your uniform shows your class. We've got orange, as you can see. And your D-Agent, the little device in there, is really important. You can help your Digimon a lot with it, and you can communicate with him, wherever he is. Don't ever lose it, okay? And Nishimura will explain more about the cards. Do you get it?"

Hideaki shrugged and headed back towards the dorm. He was lucky he had a good memory. Of course, sometimes it was more of a curse.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Hideaki lay back down on his bed and sighed. Zurumon took his place on his chest. "I guess we're both pretty alone, you and me."

Zurumon looked at him and blinked. "You're a very sad person, aren't you?" he asked.

"I guess so, yeah," he replied. "But I've got my reasons." He reached into the bag he'd been given and leafed through the card deck. "Some of these actually look pretty cool. Are these some of the other Digimon here?"

Zurumon moved up and down, and the human took that to mean 'yes', since Zurumon must have been trying to nod, but that's difficult when one is just a ball of slime.

"I know a little bit about Digimon," he told his Digimon. "My parents would leave me home alone a lot, so I'd be on the internet a lot. You guys Digivolve to bigger, stronger Digimon, right?" Zurumon nodded again. "Do you know what you're going to Digivolve into?"

"No," Zurumon replied. "No one knows that. It just happens."

"It'd be neat if you turned into one of these guys," he said, still looking at the cards. "Like this one. It's pretty cool." He held the card labeled 'BlackWarGreymon' in front of his Digimon, who nodded again.

"I hope I turn into something cool like that," he replied.

Hideaki allowed a rare smile before putting a pillow on the floor. He set Zurumon on the pillow. "I'm going to bed now. Good night." He turned the lights off and crawled into bed.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"_I'm sorry, Mommy!" little Hideaki cried. "I'll be a good boy!"_

"_That child is a disgrace!" his mother yelled at his father. "We should have gotten rid of him a long time ago!"_

"_It's not my fault he turned out this way!" his father yelled back. "_You're_ the one that wanted to keep him!"_

"_I didn't know what a pain having a child would be!" she hissed. "I want him gone."_

"_You know we can't do that," his father said with a forlorn sigh. "We'll think of something, though."_

"_Why can't we just drop him off at an orphanage?" his mother asked._

"_People will talk," his father said, shaking his head. "If they know we put him in an orphanage, they'd talk about us. No, we need a way to get rid of him without people realizing what happened."_

"_I don't wanna go, Daddy," Hideaki said, and both parents turned to him._

"_You should stay in your room when you're told to!" his mother said, raising her hand to slap him._

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Hideaki woke up, sweating. He grabbed the pillow next to him and hugged it tightly.

"Are you okay?" Zurumon asked, and Hideaki turned to look down at him. He hadn't closed the curtains, so everything was still pretty easy to see, thanks to the moonlight.

"Don't worry, Zurumon," he said, trying to reassure his new partner. "It was just a bad dream."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

When Chiharu woke up the next morning, she stretched. Looking around, she saw that Beelzemon had apparently managed to fall asleep standing up, leaning against the wall. She laughed silently before standing. She walked over to him and poked him repeatedly until he finally woke up.

"What do you want?" he asked, slightly annoyed at being woken up. "It's Sunday."

"I know, but I want to be up in case Kokawa-san wakes up and has any questions."

"If he's got any questions, he probably ain't gonna ask you," the Demon Lord snorted. "That kid hates your guts."

Chiharu frowned, but got dressed and headed down to the dorm lounge, where Hideaki was already sitting on the couch. "Hey!" she said in greeting, but he ignored her. _Jerk_, she thought, but decided that it was just because he still needed a few days to adjust. She walked back over to the wall, where Beelzemon stood.

"Why are you so desperate to get him to talk to you, anyway? It's not like you don't have other friends," her partner said.

She didn't respond for a moment. "They never even came to check on me last night after everything. I think they're afraid now… or maybe they just don't like me…"

"Cuz of me?" Beelzemon guessed.

"Probably," she said quietly. "I'm going for a walk. You can come with, or stay here."

As she headed out the door, Beelzemon chose to follow her. As soon as they were gone, Zurumon looked up at Hideaki. "I'm glad they're gone," he said, relieved.

"Me too," the boy replied. "That girl, Miura, is really annoying."

"Her Digimon is scary. I think that was Beelzemon, the Demon Lord of Gluttony."

"Seriously?" Hideaki asked, surprised. He knew what the Demon Lords were. They were one of the many things he'd looked up online. "Why would they have a Demon Lord partnered with a human, though?"

"I don't know," Zurumon said. "But I don't trust him."

"That's probably a good idea," Hideaki replied. "That girl better be careful."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu was wandering through the halls when she saw Hiroshi and Snimon talking. "Hey, what's up?" she asked, walking towards them, but the instant they heard her, they both shut up. That most likely meant that they'd been talking about her and Beelzemon.

"I… have some homework to do," Hiroshi replied, popping his gum, and walked away quickly, Snimon on his heels. Chiharu sighed.

"They all probably hate me," she muttered. She looked back at Beelzemon. "Hey, do you want to see if we can get a little bit of battle practice? I want to check out some of these cards." At his nod, they both headed for the Team Battling room, where they knew they'd be able to battle freely, if they were allowed. "Ikeda-sensei," Chiharu asked after they arrived. "Can Beelzemon and I get some battling practice in?"

"I don't see why not," the teacher replied with a smile. She opened the door and opened the control panel. "What level?"

"Um, what's the highest?"

"Level 10."

"Um… maybe Level 9, then?" Chiharu said, and Beelzemon nodded. "Yeah, Level 9."

"Okay. I'll be up in the observation room. But if you're in too much trouble, I'm going to do a manual shutdown, okay?" Ikeda asked.

"That's fine," Chiharu replied.

"But we don't need it," Beelzemon added, and Chiharu rolled her eyes.

"Alright, then." Ikeda set the level and left. The scene around them became a beach. They waited for something to happen, and a large, metal serpent arose from the water, followed by many red, slightly smaller ones with lightning-like horns.

"MetalSeadramon, Mega Level. Attacks: River of Power, Hot Squeeze, and Poseidon's Dive," Chiharu read from her D-Agent. "And the other ones are MegaSeadramon, Ultimate Level. Attacks: Lightning Javelin, Mega Ice Blast, and Dramon Attack. Looks like there are ten of them."

"No sweat," Beelzemon laughed, drawing the Berenjena. "Double Impact!" One MegaSeadramon was hit, but the others were then infuriated.

"Lightning Javelin!" came the cries of many MegaSeadramon.

"River of Power!" MetalSeadramon attacked.

Chiharu sifted through her cards quickly. "Here, this one looks good…" She raised it above her head, along with her D-Agent. "Digital Enhancement!" She yelled, swiping the card down quickly. "WarGreymon's Shield: Connect!" The card glowed, and a golden light snaked from her Digivice to Beelzemon's arm, where a large shield formed. All the attacks hit and were absorbed by the shield. She sifted through more cards as Beelzemon continued to relentlessly attack his opponents. She got into the Digital Ability Cards, and smiled as she saw a good one. "Digital Ability!" she yelled, making the same movements as before. "Andromon's Lightning Blade: Connect!"

A bunch of data was transferred from the card to Beelzemon's free arm, creating what looked like a long spear over it. "Lightning Blade!" Beelzemon yelled, and energy gathered around the artificial spear. He hurled it forward, and the energy released, heading straight for two more MegaSeadramon, destroying them. The spear on Beelzemon's arm disintegrated.

"Sweet!" she yelled, getting excited. She'd been a little nervous at first, but now she felt pretty comfortable in this battling situation.

"River of Power!" MetalSeadramon attacked, and when its attack hit, the shield shattered.

"Oh, no," she muttered. "This is bad." But Beelzemon had already taken out most of the MegaSeadramon with ease. There were only three left, along with MetalSeadramon. All four of them began to glow, and they merged together, making one giant serpent, plated with gold and blue metal armor. "GigaSeadramon," Chiharu read nervously. "Mega Level. Attacks: Giga Sea Destroyer and Sky Wave. Beelzemon, I think we're in trouble!"

Her partner ignored her. In fact, he was laughing. "Thanks for making this easier for me! You all made one nice target." He pointed both Berenjena at it. "Say goodnight. Double Impact!" Bullets were fired repeated from both guns, hitting GigaSeadramon everywhere, but it was doing minimal damage, most likely because of all of its armor.

"Come on, come on, think, Chiharu, think!" the girl muttered to herself, looking through her cards again. If she was right, GigaSeadramon's armor was made of Chrome Digizoid, the strongest metal of the Digital World. She'd just have to top that. She knew that Beelzemon had superior strength, she just needed a way through that thick armor. "I've got it!" she said, digging through the deck. "Digital Enhancement. Big Bang Hammer! Digital Ability. Zudomon's Vulcan's Hammer: Connect!" She swiped both cards in at the same time. "Please work," she whispered.

Data flowed from the D-Agent to Beelzemon's hand again, and this time it formed a large hammer, which Chiharu knew was made of Chrome Digizoid. "Vulcan's Hammer!" The hammer was thrown at GigaSeadramon. It disappeared upon impact, but left a large crack in the armor.

"Beelzemon! Fire at the crack in its armor!"

"Got it!" her partner replied, drawing the Berenjena yet again. "Double Impact!" he yelled, and GigaSeadramon disappeared as the scene faded back to the classroom.

"We did it!" Chiharu yelled excitedly.

"You doubted me?" Beelzemon asked, walking back to her side.

"Well, no, it just looked pretty tough for a while," she responded.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"They don't seem to be half bad," Hideaki commented, watching the two celebrate from the observation room. Ikeda jumped.

"Kokawa!" she said. "I didn't hear you come in."

"They were at level 9, right?" he asked, and his teacher nodded. "Oh well, I guess we can only expect that much from a Demon Lord, huh?" He looked at Zurumon, who rested on his shoulder. "What do you think? Will we ever get that good?"

"We'll be even better," Zurumon said, causing Ikeda to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Hideaki asked, narrowing his eyes at the teacher.

"No, don't worry, I'm not saying you'll never be like them. It was just so cute to hear from such a little thing," Ikeda said, giggling. Hideaki rolled his eyes.

_We _will_ be better than them,_ he thought. _We'll be the best. And then, maybe Mom and Dad will finally recognize me as their son instead of just the kid they have to take care of_.

**Next time:  
Tsukiko: Yo, I'm Tsukiko Takaki. What's up?  
Punimon: I'm Punimon! Nice to meet you!  
Chiharu: Yes! We've got another girl!  
Tsukiko: You okay, kid?  
Hideaki: You have **_**no idea**_** what I've been through, so just leave me alone.  
Tsukiko: Wanna bet?**

**Hope you liked it~ Remember: Read, Review, and Ask Questions~**


	6. Kindred Spirits

**Question time~ This one's for everyone: How old are you all?  
Chiharu: Well, Asuka, Dai, Hiroshi, Hideaki, and I are all 13. Tsukiko (see a little ways below) is 16.  
Nakayama: I'm 28, and Nishimura's 32.  
Shimizu: It's rude to ask a lady her age, but I can give you a hint. I'm younger than Nishimura.  
Ikeda: I'm 31.  
Aoki: I don't look it, but I'm actually 38.  
Ikeda: No way!  
Headmaster: And I'm 57.  
Snimon: We're Digimon, so our ages don't really count, since we're all younger than our partners.  
BlackSeraphimon: Mentally, we age at a different rate.  
Lotosmon: Well, most of us, anyway.  
Beelzemon: HEY!**

**Disclaimer: You know this drill by now, right?**

Chiharu stood on her balcony, leaning on the railing. She stared into the woods, thinking. It still hurt how her friends had abandoned her once they learned the truth about Beelzemon. She finally had another person in her class, but Hideaki never said more than two words to her unless he had to. She sighed, setting her head down on the railing.

"Hey," Beelzemon said. "Stop moping."

"Shut up," she muttered. "Just leave me alone, okay?"

"Whatever," her Digimon replied, walking back inside.

She sighed again. "It's not my fault," she muttered.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Hiroshi sat in the lounge with Asuka and Dai. Their Digimon had decided to go off somewhere else, maybe to train together in the Team Battling room or something. "Maybe we're overreacting a little bit," he said. "About the whole Chiharu thing, I mean."

"Maybe," Dai said in agreement. "The last time I saw her, she was going back into her dorm with that new kid."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot," Asuka said. "We've got another Digi-Destined here now."

"I think we should just let things get back to normal," Hiroshi said. "I mean, yeah, he's a Demon Lord and everything, but at the same time, he's still that annoying, loudmouthed Digimon that saved your lives, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Dai said with a sigh.

"So it's decided?" Asuka asked, and the boys nodded. They'd make it up to their friend, somehow.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu walked out of the dorm Monday morning glumly, Beelzemon at her side. She left at the same time as Hideaki, but she knew better than to try to talk to him by now.

"Hey," Hiroshi said, jogging to her side. She looked up, slightly shocked. "Sorry about before. We kinda freaked, but…"

"I understand," Chiharu responded with a shrug. "It's okay. So… take two?"

Hiroshi laughed. "Take two."

Asuka and Dai ran over, followed closely by their Digimon. "We're so sorry!" Asuka said.

"It's okay, really," Chiharu said. "I understand." She looked up. "Hey, wait a minute, where's Snimon?"

"He slept in," Hiroshi said.

"And you didn't wake him up?" Dai asked with a raised eyebrow. Hiroshi shrugged.

"What can I say? He just looked so peaceful," he replied.

"How can he look 'peaceful'?" Chiharu asked. "He's a giant bug."

"So? Bugs can be peaceful, too."

Asuka glanced up at Hideaki, who moved past them. "What's up with him?"

"I don't really know," Chiharu answered honestly. "He's not much for talking, and I don't think he likes me very much."

"It doesn't look like he likes _anybody_," Dai muttered.

"I'm sure he has his reasons," Lotosmon said, watching the boy.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"I think they're talking about you," Zurumon said from Hideaki's shoulder. The boy shrugged.

"I don't care," he replied. "They're just some kids in my class. Like I care what they think."

Zurumon looked at his partner for a moment. "Why are you so sad all the time?" he asked. "You don't like people, do you?"

"Not really," Hideaki responded. "I've only ever been hurt by other people. I don't trust easily," he admitted. "But you're different, don't worry. As my partner, I know you've got my back." He smiled just a tiny bit. "And I know I've got yours."

"Yeah!" the Digimon replied with a smile. "Cuz we're partners!"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

In class, the new Digi-Destined heard everyone around him talking about him. He knew it was mostly about how he was a Digi-Destined, but every now and then, he'd hear someone mention how 'cold' and 'distant' he seemed. He liked it that way. If no one liked him, then no one would try to get close to him. If no one was close to him, then there'd be no one to stab him in the back and betray his trust.

He sat in the back corner of all his classes, and when lunchtime came, he sat alone. He pushed at his food with his fork, not really all that hungry. Finally, he pushed his tray towards Zurumon, who he'd set on the table. "You can have the rest of mine," he said.

Zurumon, who'd already eaten his own small lunch, looked at his partner. "Are you sure?" he asked, but when Hideaki nodded, he dug in, causing the human to actually chuckle a little.

"Are all Digimon pigs like you?" he asked jokingly, causing the little ball of slime to glare for just a moment before returning to the food. Hideaki glanced around again, and his eyes met Chiharu's, who had been staring at him all day. _What's her problem?_ He thought, annoyed. _When's she gonna get the message?_

Zurumon noticed his partner's sudden discomfort. "What's wrong?" he asked.

But Hideaki shook his head. "It's nothing, really," he said, trying to reassure his partner. "Everything's cool."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Nakayama strolled down the halls, heading towards the front office. He seemed to be called down there a lot, lately, and couldn't help but wonder whether or not that was a good thing. "Yes?" he asked the receptionist when he arrived.

"They want you up in the nursery," the receptionist responded.

"Okay…" Nakayama said, a bit confused. Could it be that they had found yet another Digi-Destined? He shook his head. No, that would just be wishful thinking. After years and years without any, it was just pure luck that they'd found two already.

Ikeda, who currently didn't have a class, was standing next to the door of the nursery when he arrived. She looked very excited. "We've found another one!" she said excitedly. "Isn't it amazing?"

Nakayama smiled. Entering the nursery, he saw a girl that was about 16 years old, sitting on the floor and holding a small, red Fresh Digimon called Punimon. "Hello," he said, causing the girl to look up.

"Hey," she replied. "You're Nakayama-sensei, right?" she asked. He nodded. "Cool. Ikeda-sensei told me that you'd come and get me settled."

The Math teacher looked back at Ikeda. "What, am I the designated 'Digi-Destined initiator'?" he joked, causing Ikeda to giggle.

"Well, you're good at it," she said.

"True, true." Nakayama turned back to the girl. What's your name?"

"Tsukiko Takaki," she responded. She stood up, still holding Punimon. "Ikeda-sensei told me a little bit about what you guys do here. So… when do I start?"

"Well, you can start classes as soon as tomorrow," Nakayama told her. "We need to get you a uniform and a Digivice, first." He led her back down to the front office, where a folded uniform, starter deck, and D-Agent were already waiting.

Tsukiko picked up the D-Agent first, and as soon as she touched it, the majority of it turned black, while the triangles around the screen became green. "Cool," she said. She looked down at the uniform. "No," she said.

"Huh?"

"I'm not wearing a skirt," she said, nodding down at the article of clothing in question. "I don't _do_ skirts."

"But it's the uniform," Nakayama said, but he knew he was in for a long argument.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu walked back to Dorm E at the end of the day, Beelzemon by her side. She looked back to see Hideaki also heading for the dorm. "Think I'll ever get him to like me?" she asked her partner.

He shrugged. "Who cares?" She elbowed him hard.

"Jerk," she muttered as she opened the door. She saw a girl lounging on the couch, with a small Digimon on her lap. "Hi," she said. Then she noticed the girl's uniform. She was wearing the boy's uniform. "Um…"

"Yo," she said. "I'm Tsukiko Takaki. What's up?"

"I'm Punimon," her Digimon said. "Nice to meet you!"

"So you're a Digi-Destined, too?" Chiharu asked.

Tsukiko laughed. "Well, my uniform's orange, isn't it? So you're Chiharu, right?" Chiharu nodded. "And that's your partner, Beelzemon. Nakayama-sensei told me."

Chiharu grinned. "Yes!" she exclaimed, pumping her fist. "We've got another girl!"

"And just what are _you_ so excited about?" a voice said from behind her, and she turned to see Hideaki. "Mind moving out of the doorway?" Chiharu complied.

"Sorry," she said. "Tsukiko, this is Hideaki and his partner, Zurumon."

"I can introduce myself," he said, annoyed. He headed up the stairs. "Whatever. I'll be in my room. If you need anything, _don't_ come get me."

Tsukiko watched him leave for a moment, and then turned back to Chiharu and Beelzemon. "Well, he's pleasant."

Beelzemon shrugged. "Eh, he's just like that."

"Is it true that you're a Demon Lord?" Tsukiko asked, studying him.

"Yep, that's me," he replied proudly. "Beelzemon, the Demon Lord of Gluttony."

"Um, should you really be that proud that you represent the sin of 'over-eating'?" Tsukiko asked, raising an eyebrow, making Chiharu giggle.

"Shaddup!" he yelled. "I'm the strongest Demon Lord there is!"

"Right now," Chiharu said, "you're the _only_ Demon Lord there is."

"You just ain't gonna let me win, huh?" Beelzemon asked, glaring at his partner.

"Nope," she said with a smile, causing him to roll his eyes.

"Hey, can you show me where the gym is?" Tsukiko asked the younger girl.

"Oh, yeah!" Chiharu said. She led the older girl back to the main building and into the gym. "Here it is," she said. "Hey, Aoki-sensei!" she called.

"What's up, Miura?" the gym teacher asked, approaching them.

"This is Tsukiko, she's new," Chiharu introduced her.

"Hi," Tsukiko greeted. "Can I hang out here for a while?"

"Oh, sure," Aoki said with a smile. "Go right ahead."

"Thanks," she said with a smile.

"I guess I'll see you at dinner," Chiharu said over her shoulder, heading back out, followed closely by Beelzemon.

"See ya!" Tsukiko called back.

"What are you going to do now?" Punimon asked his partner.

The newest Digi-Destined looked around for a moment before noticing a punching bag in the corner. She picked up Punimon and brought him closer before setting him down on a bench. She turned to the punching bag and cracked her knuckles.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"She seems nice," Chiharu said with a smile, leaving the gym. "Funny, too."

"Yeah, real nice," Beelzemon said sarcastically.

"Oh, you're just angry because she was picking on you," Chiharu laughed.

"Whatever," he muttered.

"I think it's time for dinner," Chiharu said, trying to take her partner's mind off it. She didn't like it when he got bitter. He wasn't very pleasant to be around when he was like that.

"Good," Beelzemon said, all anger forgotten at the thought of food. The two headed towards the cafeteria, and after they got their food, they walked back to their table, where Asuka and Dai were waiting for them already.

Asuka stared at Beelzemon tray, which was completely full. "Are you sure you got enough?" she asked jokingly.

"What can I say?" the Demon Lord asked. "I'm hungry."

"I never would have guessed," Dai laughed.

"Oh, hey, guess what," Chiharu said. "There's another Digi-Destined here now. She just enrolled today. Her name's Tsukiko, and she's pretty nice."

"Another one?" Lotosmon asked. She smiled. "This is good."

"Not necessarily," BlackSeraphimon said.

"What do you mean?" Dai asked his partner.

"Have you ever thought about _why_ Digi-Destined are chosen?" he asked. "There must be something wrong in the Digital World."

"Oh, yeah, he has a good point," Asuka said. "But why haven't the teachers said anything yet?"

"Maybe it ain't bad enough to worry about just yet," Beelzemon suggested.

"That could be it…" Chiharu muttered. She looked back at the doors. "Oh, hey, it's Tsukiko." She smiled. "Hey! Come on and join us!" She waved the older girl over.

Tsukiko approached the table. "What's up?"

"These are my friends, Asuka and Dai, with their partners, Lotosmon and BlackSeraphimon. Wanna sit with us?" Chiharu asked.

"Nah," Tsukiko said. She nodded towards the table where Hideaki sat alone with Zurumon. "I want to see what his deal is. Catch you later!" she called over her shoulder, already on her way.

"Don't look now," Zurumon told his partner, "but that new girl's heading our way."

"Just ignore her, Zurumon," Hideaki muttered. "Maybe she'll go away."

"You okay, kid?" she asked, sitting next to him and setting Punimon down.

He tried ignoring her, but she was patient, continuing to sit there until he finally spoke. "You have _no idea_ what I've been through, so just leave me alone."

She raised an eyebrow. "Wanna bet?"

Hideaki glared at her. "My parents never wanted me," he hissed. "All they ever did was ignore me. Do you know what that's like, to know you have no one who cares about you?"

She didn't answer.

"I didn't think so."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The next day, Hideaki sat at lunch in silence, Tsukiko next to him again. He clenched his fists, wanting nothing more than for her to go away.

When they were on their way to Gym, the new girl hung back with Chiharu, Punimon on her shoulder. "Hey," she said, causing Chiharu to look at her.

"Yeah?"

"Don't think too badly of Kokawa," she told the younger girl. "He's had a pretty rough life. So don't blame him if he doesn't like you. Trust doesn't come easy to people like him."

"O… kay…?" Chiharu said. "Why are you telling me this?"

Tsukiko shrugged. "I just thought you might want an answer about why he is the way he is."

"Oh," Chiharu responded. "Well, thanks."

"No problem, kid," Tsukiko said with a smile. They entered the gym, and Aoki smiled at them.

"Hey," she called. "So, today we'll finally be able to do some real training. First, Miura, Beelzemon, why we have a rematch?"

"I'm ready when you are," Beelzemon said, already getting excited at the thought of battle.

"Alright," Aoki said, turning back to Phantomon. "You know what to do."

"Phantomon Digivolve to… MetalPhantomon!"

Chiharu looked up at the giant Digimon. _Good thing this gym is so huge,_ she thought.

"I've been waiting for this, Beelzemon," MetalPhantomon said.

"Aw, still a little sore from the time I kicked yer can?" Beelzemon taunted.

Chiharu looked back at the Digivice to see the stats on MetalPhantomon. "Alright, let's see here… Mega Level. Attacks: Grave Scream and Soul Predator."

"Piece of cake," Beelzemon said with a smirk.

"Okay," Aoki told them. "Battle… begin!"

"Soul Predator!" MetalPhantomon attacked. Beelzemon jumped out of the way of the giant sickle just in time.

"Geez, cutting it close, much?" Chiharu muttered, sifting through her deck. "This looks like a good one. Digital Enhancement. Speed: Connect!"

Beelzemon seemed to disappear, and a dark blur circled MetalPhantomon. Every so often, it would stop to reveal Beelzemon sending some sort of attack MetalPhantomon's way. "Now that's what I'm talkin' about!" he yelled.

Aoki pulled out her D-Control along with a deck of cards. "Time to level the playing field," she said, removing a card from the deck. "Digital Enhancement. Speed: Connect!"

Now both Digimon were at the same speed, and it was impossible to tell their movements. Chiharu bit her lip. She knew Beelzemon wasn't really in trouble, but she couldn't let him lose. He'd sulk for weeks. "Wait a minute…" she whispered, staring at the card in her hand. "When did this get here…?" She raised her D-Agent and swiped the card. "Digital Ability. MegaSeadramon's Lightning Javelin: Connect!"

Electricity gathered in Beelzemon's right hand, and he shoved it forward. "Lightning Javelin!"

"Digital Ability. Crusadermon's Spiral Masquerade: Connect!" Aoki called, swiping a card of her own.

"Spiral Masquerade!" MetalPhantomon attacked. Beelzemon tried to dodge, but his speed boost was beginning to wear off, so while he avoided a direct blow, he was still hit pretty hard.

"That's it!" he hissed. "No more Mr. Nice Guy!" He drew the Berenjena and began shooting repeatedly. "Double Impact!"

MetalPhantomon tried to escape, but now his speed was beginning to slow as well. No matter where he moved, Beelzemon's guns stayed trained on his opponent, until finally, he was forced to Degenerate back to Phantomon.

"Okay, that's enough," Aoki said. "Miura, you win. Now, for you two," she said, turning to Hideaki and Tsukiko. "It may not be a very interesting battle," she said with a sigh, seeing that both of their Digimon were still at the Fresh Level. "But it's probably still a good idea."

Both students took their places and their Digimon waiting for the signal.

"Battle… begin!"

"Poison Bubbles!" Zurumon called out, spitting out large, purple bubbles. Punimon bounced out of the way.

"Bubble Blow!" the small red Digimon countered. The bubbles hit each other, disappearing on impact.

"We're not going to get much done like this," Tsukiko muttered. To everyone's surprise, though, both Digimon started glowing.

"Zurumon Digivolve to… Pagumon!"

"Punimon Digivolve to… Tsunomon!"

"Well, this will be interesting," Phantomon commented.

"C'mon, Tsunomon!" Tsukiko smirked. "Let's show this kid what we've got!"

"You got it!" Tsunomon threw himself at Pagumon, throwing his opponent backwards.

Hideaki glared. He glanced down at the deck and sifted through it. "You should be able to handle this," he said, drawing a card. "Digital Ability: Renamon's Diamond Storm: Connect!"

Shards of light gathered around Pagumon's tiny form, before flying at Tsunomon, who was too slow to avoid the attack.

Tsunomon got up, clearly fighting the pain. He looked back at Tsukiko, then at his opponents. "Bubble Blow!" he called out, and the bubbles hit Pagumon with surprising force, throwing him backwards.

"Digital Enhancement. Strength: Connect!" Tsukiko slid one card before drawing another. "Digital Ability. Elecmon's Super Thunder Strike: Connect!"

"Super Thunder Strike!" Tsunomon attacked, the attack strengthened by the Enhancement card. Pagumon flew backwards, and didn't move.

"The battle is over," Aoki announced. "Takaki is the winner."

Hideaki ran over to Pagumon to make sure he was okay. "How are you feeling?" he asked his partner, worried.

"Been better," Pagumon answered woozily. Hideaki glared at Tsukiko, stalking over to her.

"How could you be so cruel?!" he yelled. Memories of his parents abusing him flashed through his mind. He went to punch her, but she grabbed his fist, and the next thing he knew, he was on the ground.

"Remember how you said that I have no idea what you've been through?" she asked, looking down at him. "My mom died giving birth to me. When I was in first grade, my dad came to pick me up to go to the dentist, when a shooter made their way into my school. He killed my dad. In my first foster home, the family abused me, and I had to stay there for about a year before anyone realized what was happening. In my next 'home', I was neglected even worse than you were. Your parents just left you alone, right? Well, my second set of foster parents would lock the cupboards and the fridge when they were away, so that I couldn't get anything to eat. I was lucky if they fed me more that three times a week. The family after that actually wasn't all that bad. When they found out what happened, they taught me how to fight, in case I ever got in a nasty situation. They were pretty nice, but then they both died in a bus crash. That's how I wound up here. So, try to find out all the facts first before accusing someone of not knowing what it's like to feel completely alone." She reached a hand down to help him up. When he took it, she smiled a little. "If you ever need to talk, kid, I'm always here. You can trust me, alright?"

He nodded, standing up. "Thanks," he said quietly. "And… I'm sorry."

"It's fine," she told him. "Hey, we didn't hit Pagumon too hard, did we?"

"No, he's okay, I think," Hideaki told her. "A little beaten down, but nothing that's too serious."

"Good," Tsukiko replied. She patted him on the back. "I get the feeling you and I are going to be good friends, kid."

"Can you do me one favor, then?"

"Sure. What's that?"

"Can you stop calling me 'kid'?" he asked.

"Sure thing," Tsukiko laughed. "Kid." He rolled his eyes.

Beelzemon and Chiharu simply stared at the two. They hadn't heard the conversation between them, so they were a bit out of the loop. "Um, what just happened?" Chiharu asked, looking up at her partner.

"No idea," Beelzemon replied.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu was hanging out with her friends while their Digimon were training by themselves.

"Is that what I think it is?" Hiroshi asked, pointing at Tsukiko and Hideaki, who were walking together towards the dorm.

"I don't know," Chiharu said, "what do you think it is?"

"Is Kokawa… actually getting along with someone?"

"Oh, yeah," Chiharu said. "I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but they started hanging out after gym today. It's good to see that he's not completely heartless, though."

"Why?" Asuka asked. "Are you still on that 'mission' of yours to get him to like you?"

"Well, yeah. Like BlackSeraphimon said earlier, we all showed up here for a reason. I think the Digi-Destined are supposed to work as a team, so when we go to do… whatever it is that we need to do, we need to be able to get along," Chiharu told her friends.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"You wanted to see us, Headmaster?" Nakayama asked. He was currently standing in the Headmaster's office, along with Shimizu, Nishimura, Ikeda, and Aoki.

"Yes," the Headmaster said. "I'm afraid a great danger is going to fall on the Digital World soon."

"Is it because all the Digi-Destined are appearing?" Shimizu asked, earning a nod.

"Yes," he told them. "I want you to begin their training. We may need to send them to the Digital World soon.

"Yes, Sir!" the teachers and their Digimon replied.

**Next time:  
Satoru: I'm Satoru. So… are you guys the other Digi-Destined?  
Tsukiko: Yep, that's us.  
Satoru: Cool.  
Nakayama: Well, Chiharu, it looks like you've opened up the floodgates.**

**I know this was a little shorter than usual, but I promise the next one will be longer. And please please PLEASE ask questions. They're fun to answer, and I'm sure they're also fun to read the answers. See you next week~**


	7. They Just Keep Coming

**Disclaimer: You understand what 'disclaimer' means, right?**

Chiharu sat, twirling her pencil during yet another day at school. She glanced back at Beelzemon, who was leaning against the wall behind her. She snickered silently at the memory of when they tried to make him sit at a desk.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

_Beelzemon looked very uncomfortable, sitting at the desk. He felt very confined, and finally, after about ten minutes of sitting there, he growled and stood up, flipping the table. "Screw this!" he yelled. Unfortunately, his outburst caused the two to be sent to the Headmaster's Office._

"_Good going," Chiharu muttered to her partner on the way down._

_After a long and heated argument, Beelzemon was finally allowed to stand, as long as he didn't become a distraction. Normally, he would have done as much as he could to tick the teachers off, but he really didn't want to be put back in that puny desk._

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"And just what're you laughin' at?" the Demon Lord in question hissed in her ear.

"Oh, nothing," she whispered. He clearly didn't believe her, but didn't press the subject. They'd come back to it later, though, she just knew it. The only reason Beelzemon was letting it go was because they were in English, and they'd learned exactly why everyone hated detention with Shimizu.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"_This is all your fault," Chiharu grumbled at her partner. She was currently on her hands and knees, scrubbing the floors of the English room. They were supposed to clean the English and Team Battling rooms, and it was a long task for just the two of them._

_Beelzemon leaned against the wall, in clear defiance, not doing his part of the work. "What, just cuz I got into a little argument with the teacher?"_

"_Beelzemon," Chiharu started. "You had your gun in Renamon's face. I swear they were ready to destroy you right then and there."_

"_They couldn't even if they tried," he replied, rolling his eyes._

"_They did it once before," Chiharu stated, making him frown. She stood up and picked up her bucket, ready to head to the Team Battling room. "I swear, there are laws against this…" she muttered._

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

As soon as the bell rang, Beelzemon slammed his hands on Chiharu's desk and looked her in the eye. "Alright," he said. "So what was so funny earlier?"

"You get aggressive when you're curious," Chiharu observed. Beelzemon stayed where he was, and his human partner realized that he probably wasn't going to move until she gave him an answer. "I was just remembering that time you flipped that desk."

"Only you would laugh today about somethin' that happened a week ago," he said, shaking his head.

Chiharu shrugged. "What can I say? It was funny."

"What are you two talking about?" Hiroshi asked, walking over. "What was funny?"

"Oh, just when Beelzemon flipped out and flipped the desk."

"Oh yeah," Snimon said with a laugh. "I'm surprised you didn't get detention for that!"

"Well, we sure made up for it later," Chiharu said with a grimace. "Beelzemon got us detention with Shimizu, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," Hiroshi said. "How'd that go, by the way?"

"Awful," the girl replied. "It took hours. We even had to skip dinner."

"Yeah, and I'm gonna get 'er for that," Beelzemon growled.

"Don't," Chiharu hissed. She'd seen the way Beelzemon had slowly been becoming more and more aggressive. The teacher's had already been keeping a close eye on him, so one step out of line could get him turned back into and Egg, and Chiharu booted out of Digimon Academy.

Beelzemon looked down at his partner, and sighed after a moment. He'd recognized that after becoming her partner, he'd mellowed out a little. But just a _little_. And thanks to the bond that had formed between the two, he felt like he had a bit of a 'soft spot' for his partner. "Fine, fine, I won't do anything," he muttered, finally giving in to his partner's request.

"Thanks," she said, flashing a smile. "Now come on, let's go to lunch. I'm starved."

Snimon raised a sickle-like arm. "I second that motion." They all laughed.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

When they got to the cafeteria, they saw everyone gathered around something. When the small group approached, they saw that it was a fight.

"Oh, no, not again," Chiharu groaned when she saw the two who were fighting. Katashi and Akihiro were going at it. She headed toward the fight, determined to stop it, when Hiroshi grabbed her arm.

"Looks like someone beat you to the punch," he said, pointing.

"Nice word choice," Chiharu muttered, following his gaze. And older girl was pushing through the crowd. It was Tsukiko.

"Break it up, you two," she told them, grabbing both of their arms before they hit each other. "Never fight if it isn't necessary."

"Oh, yeah?" Akihiro asked. "And just what do _you_ know about fighting? You're just a girl!"

"I think he just signed his death warrant," Beelzemon said with a small laugh.

Tsukiko's eyes narrowed, and she gripped Akihiro's arm with both hands and flipped him over her. "I know plenty more than you do," she told him. "Now, are you two gonna stop fighting, or what?"

Both boys nodded, staring at her in sudden awe. Just about everyone watching knew that the eldest Digi-Destined had just become their role model. She reached down and helped Akihiro up. "If I catch you two fighting again," she informed them," you're dead meat."

"Yes, Ma'am!" both boys said, making a few kids snicker.

"She's amazing," Asuka muttered, causing Chiharu to jump. She turned around to see Asuka, Dai, Lotosmon, and BlackSeraphimon behind them.

"When did you guys get here?"

"Just soon enough to see Takaki knock some sense into those two," Dai answered.

Chiharu laughed. "Yeah, she's something else, isn't she? Now come on, let's get some food."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"That was cool!" Pagumon said when Tsukiko reached the table. "You kicked his butt!"

"I can't stand seeing people fight like that without a good reason," the older girl responded.

"But you took Hideaki down after our first battle," Tsunomon pointed out.

Tsukiko sighed. "That was to send a message, nothing else. Besides, it wasn't all that bad." She looked back at Hideaki. "Right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," the boy reassured her.

"Good," she told him, smiling. She looked back at Chiharu's table. "Hey, kid, I have a question."

"Shoot."

"How come you don't want to sit over there by Chiharu and the others?"

"I don't like that girl," he muttered. "She's annoying. She keeps trying to talk to me, no matter how many times I tell her that I want to be left alone."

"Well, you do look pretty depressed all the time," his friend pointed out. "She probably just wanted to see what was wrong. Besides, we're in the same class. She probably wanted to get along with you pretty well. So, try not to judge her so quickly, kay?"

"I'll try," Hideaki responded. He poked his lunch with his fork. "I wonder who chose us for this Digi-Destined thing," he muttered. "I mean, why _us_? What's so special about us? And why were we picked in the first place?"

"Well, I can't answer the 'who chose us' question, but I have a theory about why we we're here. The teachers said that the Digi-Destined are the ones who go to fight first if there's a problem in the Digital World, right? Well, maybe something's happening over there. Something big," Tsukiko told him.

He nodded. "I guess that makes sense. But what could be happening that's so bad they need our help to fix it?"

"Who knows?" the girl asked, shrugging. She looked down at the Digimon. "Got any idea?"

"No, sorry," Tsunomon told her. "We don't remember stuff from our past lives."

"Wait," Pagumon said. "Even though we don't remember details and stuff, some of the history is still stored in our data. That's how we all know about the Demon Lords, even though we hatched after they were gone."

"Oh yeah," Tsunomon said. He shuddered. "Those were dark times. Everyone was too afraid to stand against them, so they ruled with an iron fist until the humans here stopped them."

"Well," Pagumon said after a moment of thinking. "Beelzemon came back, so that means that the enemy, whoever it is, is really strong."

Hideaki spoke up. "If it helps, I head that about four days before I came here, Ogudomon attacked the school."

Tsunomon's and Pagumon's eyes widened. "Did you say… Ogudomon?" Tsunomon asked.

"Yeah," Hideaki said. "Who is it?"

"Ogudomon worked as Lucemon's right hand. He served directly under Lucemon, as one of his most loyal soldiers. He was probably here to try and get Lucemon's Egg back to revive him," Pagumon said. "It's a good thing he didn't, or we'd all be in big trouble."

"Maybe that's the problem, then," Tsukiko suggested. "Maybe all the attempts to bring back Lucemon are what we need to stop. Or maybe he _will_ eventually get back in power, and it's our job to stop him."

"Could be…" Hideaki said. They'd just have to wait and find out.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

When the Digi-Destined students arrived to their first afternoon class, Technical Abilities, Nishimura was standing at his desk. As soon as they sat down, he spoke.

"This is a very important message, so listen closely," he told them. "As I'm sure you've realized, you're here because something is threatening the peace and stability of the Digital World. What that is, exactly, we aren't sure of yet. However, it is time that the three of you, along with your Digimon, begin learning how to work as a team. If there is ever a battle with a strong enemy, your teamwork could mean the difference between victory and defeat."

"No pressure," Beelzemon muttered.

Chiharu raised her hand. "Yes, Miura?" Nishimura asked.

"Um, I was just wondering…" Chiharu started. "There are only three of us now, but will there be more of us coming?"

"Most likely," he answered. "The appearance of multiple Digi-Destined is what made us realize that the Digital World was in danger, and when that happens to be the case, the group of Digi-Destined has always consisted of six humans and their Digimon."

"So, we're waiting for three more?" Tsukiko asked.

"That's right," he answered. "But, as I was saying, your teamwork will be very important. Once the other three join us, you will be a full team, and then your training can truly begin." _I just hope they're all up to the task_, he added silently.

Chiharu suddenly realized something. "Oh, I have another question. It's about the cards."

"Yes?"

"Um, I was looking through my deck the other day, and I found something that wasn't there before." She pulled out her deck and sifted through it before finding the MegaSeadramon card that had mysteriously appeared.

He looked at it for a moment before nodded. "You fought a MegaSeadramon in Team Battling, didn't you?"

"Well, ten of them, actually, but yes."

"Whenever you defeat a Digimon that you haven't fought before, or you don't already have its card, part of its data is copied and transformed into a card," the teacher explained.

"Oh," she replied, and when she looked through her deck again, she realized that she had a GigaSeadramon card as well. "Neat."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

A boy, about 16 years old, leaned against the front desk. He held a single bag, and was waiting for a teacher to come meet him.

"Oh, hello!" Nakayama said, jogging over. "You must be Satoru Kono."

"Yes," he said, bowing respectfully. "Hello."

"I'm Nakayama-sensei. I teach Math and Battle Strategy here," he explained. "Why don't we take you up to the nursery, so you can pick out a partner?"

"Okay," the new student replied, following the teacher. When they arrived at the nursery, one of the Eggs started shaking.

"You've got to be kidding me," Nakayama muttered in disbelief. They were four-for-four now with new students becoming Digi-Destined.

"What?" Satoru asked. "What's going on?"

"Go pick up that Egg," Nakayama told him, and he complied. As soon as the boy picked it up, it began hatching, and a small, plant like Digimon sat in his arms. It had a leaf for a tail, and its face looked like a dandelion. It's eyes were red.

"I'm Popomon!" it told him. "Are you my partner?"

Satoru looked back up at Nakayama questioningly. When the teacher nodded, he smiled. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"I'm so happy!" Popomon said, jumping up and down in Satoru's arms.

"Careful!" he said, trying to hold on to her. "I don't want to drop you!"

"Sorry," she said, stopping.

"It's okay," Satoru said, chuckling. "I just don't want you getting hurt."

"Alright, now that we've got that sorted out, let's get you situated," Nakayama said, leading him to Dorm E.

"Thanks," Satoru said. He looked down at his new Digimon. "Oh, right, my name's Satoru. Nice to meet you, Popomon."

Popomon didn't have a mouth, but her smile was evident in her eyes. "Nice to meet you, too!" she replied.

When they reached the dorm, Nakayama said, "Here we are. This is where you'll be staying. The boys' rooms are down the right corridor on the second floor. One of them belongs to another student, Hideaki Kokawa, but the others are up for grabs." He smiled. "I hope you enjoy it here."

"Thanks," Satoru replied, smiling back. When Nakayama left, he headed up to the second floor, ready to find a room.

He chose a pretty plain room. It had beige walls, and a dark blue carpet. The bed was to the left, and there was a bookcase, a dresser, and a door leading to a bathroom on the opposite wall. A window stretched from one side of the far wall to the other, and under it was a desk with a computer and a desk lamp. Satoru dropped his bag on the floor and lay down on his new bed. He set Popomon down on the pillow next to him. "Nakayama-sensei was pretty nice," he commented. "I think I'm going to like it here."

"I hope so!" Popomon said. She yawned. "I'm tired," she said sleepily, snuggling up to her partner, who chuckled.

"Take a nap, then," he said, yawning. "In fact, I think I'm going to go ahead and take my own advice."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Satoru woke up when he heard people entering the dorm. He sat up and nudged Popomon awake. "C'mon," he said. He headed down the stairs.

Everyone that had come in looked at him. "Who are you?" Tsukiko asked him.

"I'm Satoru," he said, introducing himself. "So… are you guys the other Digi-Destined?"

"Yep, that's us," Tsukiko told him.

"Cool."

Nakayama entered the dorm again, carrying a folded uniform with a D-Agent and a starter deck resting on top. He handed it to Satoru. "You're going to need these," he told the boy. "Now, I've got some papers to grade, so I'll be going. I hope you like it here," he said, and then he left.

Satoru picked up his D-Agent, and it turned a pale green. The triangles became a light pick color. "I'll be right back," he told his new classmates, and went back up to his room to change into his new uniform.

Chiharu looked up at Beelzemon. "You know what having all these new Digi-Destined means, right?"

"Uh, no?"

Chiharu sighed. "It means that _you_ have to start being a team player."

"I'm fine on my own," he grumbled. "Always have been, always will be."

"Beelzemon…" she said. "Come on, this is important, and you know it."

"Whatever," he replied, rolling his eyes.

When Satoru came back down, he had Popomon resting comfortably under his arm, almost like a basketball. "Oh, right, I almost forgot!" he said. "This is my partner, Popomon."

"Nice to meet all of you!" she said sweetly, but when her eyes rested on Beelzemon, she looked scared, causing the Demon Lord to roll his eyes again.

"What's wrong?" Satoru asked his Digimon.

Popomon was shaking now. "H-He's a Demon Lord…" she whispered fearfully. "They're evil… pure evil… and they used to rule the Digital World. But I thought… I thought they were turned back into Digi-Eggs…"

Satoru looked up at Chiharu and Beelzemon. "If he's so dangerous," he asked, "then why are you partnered with him?"

"He's not so bad anymore," Chiharu said, defending her partner. "He _was_ a Digi-Egg, but when I showed up here, his Egg reacted with me, and he hatched."

"Are you sure he's okay now?" Popomon asked.

"Why does everyone have such a hard time believin' that I'm a good guy now?" Beelzemon asked, annoyed.

"Anyway," Tsukiko said, trying to change the subject. "I'm Tsukiko, and this is my partner, Tsunomon."

"A pleasure to meet you," her Digimon said.

"I'm Hideaki," the younger boy said.

"And I'm Pagumon."

Chiharu adjusted her goggles, which had gone crooked while she had been running back to the dorm. "I'm Chiharu. Beelzemon's my partner."

"Alright, can someone just kinda show me around for a little bit?" Satoru asked. "I don't want to get lost or anything."

"I can," Tsukiko said with a shrug. "Come on, let's go." And with that, she led the newest Digi-Destined out towards the main building.

"So…" Chiharu said somewhat awkwardly, trying to start a conversation with Hideaki.

"What?"

"Um… how do you like the Academy so far?" she asked. She didn't expect him to actually answer, though.

"It's okay, I guess," he said, surprising her. "A lot better than home, that's for sure."

"What's wrong back home?" she asked without thinking. He didn't answer.

"Sometimes your mouth moves faster than your brain," Beelzemon told her dryly.

"Like you're one to talk," she muttered back.

Hideaki stayed silent for another moment before speaking. "No, it's okay. You probably didn't mean anything by it. Things just… weren't going so well between my parents and me."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Chiharu said. "Well, I hope things get better for you."

"I doubt they will, but… thanks," Hideaki said. Maybe Chiharu wasn't as annoying as he thought. In fact, she was actually pretty nice.

"Let's head to dinner. I'm starved!" Chiharu said, trying to take Hideaki's mind off things.

"Yeah, okay," he replied, and they went to the main building.

"Somethin' ain't right," Beelzemon said as they approached it. People started running from the building.

"You think?" Chiharu asked sarcastically, running inside. "Come on, let's see what's going on."

When they arrived inside, they headed in the direction everyone else was running away from. They saw two large doors open, but they weren't attached to any wall. There was what looked like a multi-colored swirling vortex through the doors, and many Digimon were pouring through.

"Gatomon, Champion Level," Hideaki read from his D-Agent. "Attacks: Lightning Paw and Cat's Eye Hypnotism. I don't get it. If they're just Champion level, then why is everyone running?"

"Maybe the fact that there are, like, forty has something to do with it?" Chiharu suggested.

"This is true," Pagumon pointed out.

"Alright, let's do this!" Beelzemon said, already drawing the Berenjena.

"Everything is always about violence with you," his partner muttered, but pulled out her deck anyway. She looked back at Hideaki. "No offence, but maybe you should stay out of the way. Just because your Digimon's still only In-Training."

Hideaki nodded. "Okay." He paused. "Be careful," he added before trying to leave, but there were about five Gatomon blocking the door now. "Oh, no."

"Lightning Paw!" one of them cried, trying to attack the human, but Pagumon jumped in the way, shielding his partner.

"Pagumon!"

"Are you… okay?" the small Digimon asked.

"Moron, why are you asking me that?" Hideaki asked. "Are _you_ okay?"

"It's just… a little scratch…" Pagumon tried to reassure his partner, but his voice sounded weak.

Hideaki clenched his fist, wishing there was something he could do. "Come on, think," he muttered. But just then, Pagumon started glowing.

"Pagumon Digivolve to… BlackAgumon!"

Hideaki smiled. "Come on, BlackAgumon," he said as his partner stood with renewed strength. "Let's show these guys who's boss."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Tsukiko placed an arm in front of Satoru. They were trying to escape the building, but groups of Gatomon were blocking their every turn.

"What do we do now?" Satoru asked quietly, trying to avoid being heard by the Gatomon around the corner.

Tsukiko looked at him. She had a sudden thought and smirked. "Now we do something crazy." She handed Tsunomon to him to keep her In-Training partner safe before bolting around the corner to face the Gatomon.

"What are you doing?!" Satoru yelled.

She didn't respond. She was too busy trying to fight off the six Gatomon now advancing on her.

"Lightning Paw!" three of them called, and Tsukiko ducked out of the way just in time, so the attacks hit the other Gatomon. One tried swiping at her, but she grabbed its arm and threw it over her, knocking it into another one.

She looked up to see Satoru standing there, staring at her. "Don't just stand there!" she yelled at him. "Run!"

The newest student finally unfroze and ran, but his path was cut off by two more Gatomon. "How many of these things are there?!" Satoru yelled.

Tsukiko looked over her shoulder to see the two new arrivals advancing on the boy. "Damn," she muttered, and in the moment she was distracted, one of the Gatomon she was fighting managed to get a good hit in, knocking her to the ground. Even though they were small, they still packed quite a punch.

"Tsukiko!" Tsunomon yelled, getting free of Satoru's grip and heading towards his partner.

"What are you doing, you idiot?" Tsukiko asked, trying to get up, but another Gatomon slashed her back, and she fell back to the ground. "There's no way you can fight these things."

"But I have to protect you!" Tsunomon yelled. "That's my job as your partner. And you're my best friend!"

Just then, the little Digimon started to glow.

"Tsunomon Digivolve to… BlackGabumon!"

Tsukiko stared for a moment at her now Rookie partner before smiling. "That's what I'm talking about," she said, managing to stand this time, ignoring the pain in her back.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Double Impact!" Beelzemon yelled, and because of the great difference in power level, the instant the bullets hit their targets, the Gatomon reverted back to their Digi-Egg state.

"Pepper Breath!" BlackAgumon yelled repeatedly, relentlessly attacking his opponent. Even though he was just a Rookie, he was a very strong Rookie, which the humans realized was probably the result of the strong bond between human and Digimon. Now they were beginning to understand just what made Digi-Destined so important.

"Lightning Paw!" Two attacked Beelzemon at once, knocking both Berenjena out of his hands. He just laughed.

"Ya think I _need_ those guns?" he shook his head. "You are _sadly_ mistaken." His claws glowed a faint red, and he was on them with a fury. "Darkness Claw!" Many disappeared at once.

The two humans looked back at BlackAgumon, who was beginning to struggle. Hideaki pulled out his deck. "Digital Ability. Leomon's Fist of the Beast King: Connect!"

What looked like a transparent orange lion head gathered around one of BlackAgumon's hands. "Fist of the Beast King!" he yelled, and thrust his arm forward, sending the attack at hi opponents. He'd weakened them before, so that final attack turned them back into Digi-Eggs.

"Well, that was interesting," Chiharu said, seeing that they were finished. "I don't want to have to do _that_ again."

"What are you talking about?" Beelzemon asked, retrieving his guns. "That was fun."

"There's definitely something wrong with you," Chiharu said with a laugh. "Come on, let's see how everyone else is doing."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Tsukiko sighed with relief when all the Gatomon she and BlackGabumon had been fighting were gone. She looked back at Satoru. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said. "How about you? Are you okay?"

"Well, a little scratched up," she replied, referring to her back, which was still bleeding a little. "But otherwise, I'm good."

"You should get that looked at."

The two and their Digimon looked up to see Chiharu, Beelzemon, Hideaki, and BlackAgumon heading their way.

"Hey, guys," Tsukiko said. "You missed all the fun."

"No we didn't," Beelzemon said, smirking. "Those things were all over the place. We had plenty."

"You're seriously messed up," Satoru observed.

"That's what I keep telling him," Chiharu said with a shrug, causing everyone to laugh.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"These kids are amazing," Ikeda said with a smile, watching the Digi-Destined on the security camera. "They stopped a swarm all by themselves."

"Well, this _was_ their destiny, after all," Nakayama pointed out. He smiled to himself. "Well, Chiharu," he muttered, "it looks like you've opened up the floodgates."

**Next time:  
Nakayama: Well this is a surprise. Now we have a new student that's **_**not**_** a Digi-Destined. That's… kinda disappointing.  
Kazue: I'm Kazue, and it's a pleasure to meet you.  
Yuichi: So this is Digimon Academy. It looks pretty cool.  
Kazue: What are **_**you**_** doing here?**

**Whoo-hoo~ This was pretty fun to write. Unfortunately, no one gave us any questions, so there's no Q&A at the beginning. A few of you have said that you enjoy those, and thought some of them are funny, but they aren't possible if no one asks the characters any questions. So **_**please**_** ask questions. They're very fun to answer~**


	8. Trouble With Twins

**All of your questions have been much appreciated. I'm glad to say that I have a nice, healthy number to answer~  
Question 1: Are all the Digi-Destined's Digimon going to be viruses?  
Me: Well, actually, no. I hadn't even noticed to tell you the truth, it just turned out that way. Hehe…  
Question 2: Will people who aren't Digi-Destined still have larger roles?  
Me: Probably, yeah, though they'll only show up here and there. Why? Have you found a specific Tamer you like?  
Question 3: Will we ever find out Beelzemon's other forms?  
Me: *wags my finger scoldingly* Now, now, if I told you that, it'd ruin some of the fun, now wouldn't it?  
Question 4, for Tsukiko: Are you gonna punch every Digimon in sight by yourself or let your partner fight, too?  
Tsukiko: *laughing* Alright, I guess I deserve that. But in my defense, my partner was only In-Training first, so he'd only get hurt. When he Digivolved, he **_**did**_** help me, but a certain **_**someone**_** put in a scene change, so no one ever saw it.  
Me: Hehe… whoops.  
Question 5: What are the receptionist's and guard's names?  
Receptionist: I'm so glad you asked! No one ever takes noticed of us. My name is Hotaru Minagawa.  
Guard: And I'm Shinji Nikaido.  
Question 6: For Hotaru, what is the average amount of people that apply for their children to become students at the Academy per month?  
Hotaru: What an interesting question. Hm… We usually don't have this many coming in at once. It's a little overwhelming at times, which makes me glad that my Digimon can become part of my computer. On average, I'd say maybe one or two, sometimes three.**

**Disclaimer: I only own the human characters and the Academy. No Digimon belongs to me. Also, this chapter centers more around these twins, so even though Chiharu and the others will show up, they won't be as important in this chapter as they are in the others.**

A little girl, about ten years old, stood in front of Digimon Academy with her parents. She was grinning from ear to ear. Her twin brother was away for some boy scout's weekend camping trip, so he didn't get to see her off to her new school.

She'd begged and begged for them to let her go, and after weeks of pestering, they'd finally agreed. Finally, she was going to be able to do something better than her stupid brother, who was the 'good child' of the two.

Kazue Motonari was led in by her parents, and they waited for a few minutes before a teacher with a long, blonde ponytail came walking in. He didn't look very much like a teacher, though. He wasn't dressed up in a suit, for one thing, and he was acting like a normal person instead of a stuffy old teacher.

"Hey," he said in greeting. "I'm Nakayama-sensei. I teach Math and Team Battling here." He smiled.

"I'm Kazue," she said politely, wanting to make a good impression, "and it's a pleasure to meet you."

"She's so polite!" the teacher commented to Kazue's parents. "Let's get you a partner, okay?"

"Okay!" she exclaimed, skipping as she followed him. He took her up to the nursery. "Go ahead and pick an Egg."

She looked around for a moment before finding a blue and white swirled Egg and picking it up. "Can I have this one?" she asked.

Nakayama nodded, but seemed ever so slightly disappointed. Kazue, however, didn't notice.

"Yay!" she said. "I got my own Digi-Egg!" _Take that, Yuichi_, she thought. _Finally, there's something I'm better than you at_.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Nakayama sighed as he entered the teacher's lounge.

"What's the matter?" Aoki asked, currently pouring herself a cup of tea.

He sighed. "We got another new student."

"And?"

"And when I brought her to the nursery, nothing happened. She had to pick her own Egg, because one didn't pick her," he responded.

"You're acting like a child," Nishimura said with a sigh, eating his lunch. "Did you really expect that just because we got four Digi-Destined in a row, all the students that came after that would be the same?"

"Well, this is a surprise. Now we have a new student that's _not_ a Digi-Destined. That's… kinda disappointing." He looked back at all the other teachers. "Don't you think?"

"Well _I_ think you got your hopes up for nothing," Shimizu told him, walking in. "We were extremely lucky that we got those four when we did. But for the other two, we could be waiting months, maybe even years, for them to show up. Stop getting yourself all excited. I swear, you're just as bad as the children we teach."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Kazue was led to Dorm D, where she was to stay. A girl about her age ran out to greet her, bouncing in her green uniform. "Hi!" she said. "I'm Reiko. What's your name?"

"I'm Kazue," the little girl said.

"Reiko, wait up!" both girls heard a voice say, and they turned to see a light colored Digimon running towards them on all fours. Once it reached them, it stood up on its hind legs. "You had me worried for a second. I didn't know where you—" It suddenly realized that Kazue was there. "Hello," it said with a polite bow. "My name is Gazimon. I'm Reiko's partner."

"This is my partner," Kazue said, holding up the Egg. "I don't know its name yet, though."

"That's okay," Reiko assured her. "It'll hatch soon."

Kazue smiled at her new friend, who smiled back. She followed the girl and her Digimon inside the dorm. It was a little run-down, but not too bad, so it wasn't creepy or anything.

"This is my room," Reiko told her, leading her to a room on the first floor.

"Why are there two beds?" Kazue asked curiously.

Reiko shrugged in response, but Gazimon spoke up. "I heard that there are enough rooms here for everyone to have their own, but some kids like to room with someone, so they put two beds in each room." She looked out the window towards one of the other dorms, the famed Dorm E. "I think I heard some of the Class D students talking about how each room's only got one bed. Probably because there aren't many Digi-Destined around…"

"What's a Digi-Destined?" Kazue asked. She'd known a little bit about Digimon before she arrived, but it wasn't much.

"Aoki-sensei just taught us that a few days ago, right, Gazimon?" Reiko asked her Digimon, who nodded. "A Digi-Destined's a kid that was picked to do important stuff. We're here to help save people and Digimon from bad stuff. But the Digi-Destined are the first ones they make do that kinda stuff."

"Why?" Kazue asked.

"I dunno," her new friend replied. "And I don't think anyone else does, either."

"Can I stay in this room with you?" the new girl asked Reiko.

"Sure!" she replied with a smile.

Kazue looked out the window facing Dorm E and saw a girl with brown hair and goggles leaving it. She was wearing an orange uniform, and a really tall, really scary-looking Digimon was following her. "Is she a Digi-Destined?" she asked curiously.

"Yep," Gazimon said. "Her name's Chiharu, I think, and she's partnered with one of the most dangerous Digimon in existence."

"Why's she partners with a bad Digimon?"

Gazimon shook her head. "None of us know. All we _do_ know is that she had to stop in real quick to ask something, and Beelzemon's Egg did something. When she came back later, as soon as she got near it, his Egg hatched. That's how you know someone's a Digi-Destined: an Egg automatically hatches when they get close."

"Cool," Kazue said. "I wish _I_ was a Digi-Destined…"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

When Kazue woke up, she saw that Reiko was already gone, making her frown. Why did her new friend leave her like that? She picked up her Egg and looked at it for a minute. Was she supposed to leave it in her room until it hatched, or carry it around with her? She decided to take it with her, and if a teacher told her that she shouldn't be carrying it, she could just say that she didn't know, and go put it back. She changed into the green uniform that had been put on her nightstand and twirled in it for a minute. It looked really pretty.

As she left the room, she started talking to the Egg. "I kinda miss my Mommy and Daddy," she told it. "But I gotta stay, because I'm here and my brother's not. Yuichi's a jerk. He's always better than me at everything, but now I have a Digimon and he doesn't. That means I'm better than him now. Right?" She'd reached the main building and realized that she had absolutely no idea where the cafeteria was. She frowned. Maybe if she just kept walking, she'd find it eventually.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Twenty minutes later, Kazue still hadn't shown up for breakfast, and Reiko was getting worried. She'd gone to the bathroom, and while she was gone, her new roommate must have gotten up and left. But she knew Kazue didn't know where anything was, so she was very worried.

"What's wrong?" Gazimon asked.

"I'm worried about Kazue," Reiko replied. "She's not here yet. I wanna go look for her, but I think I'd get lost, too…"

"Why not ask one of the older kids to find her?" her Digimon suggested.

At that moment, Chiharu had been walking by, talking with Hiroshi, when she stopped. "Did you say someone got lost?" she asked.

Reiko looked up at the older girl and nodded. "Yeah… her name's Kazue. She just got here yesterday, so I think she got lost looking for the cafeteria."

Chiharu smiled a little. "Don't worry, we'll find your friend for you." She looked back at Hiroshi, Snimon, and Beelzemon. "Right?"

Hiroshi and Snimon nodded, but Beelzemon just groaned.

"_Right?_"

"Sure, fine, whatever," the Demon Lord mumbled, annoyed.

"Good," Chiharu said with a smile, leading them out of the cafeteria to find that poor, lost girl.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Said poor, lost girl had found herself in a very dark part of the school. The sun, which was still pretty low in the sky, hadn't reached this side of the school yet, so it might as well have been nighttime. She glanced around, scared. Kazue was terrified of the dark. She held her Egg close to her body, as though it would bring her some sort of comfort.

"I'm not afraid," she said quietly, hoping that if she said it enough times, she'd believe it. "I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid…" She saw something move in the shadows and shook with fear.

"Relax," a girl's voice said, and Kazue saw that girl that Reiko had pointed out the night before, Chiharu. "I'm here to help. Your friend was worried that you got lost, so she asked us to come find you."

"How'd ya manage to get all the way over here?" a low voice mumbled, and Kazue had to tilt her head back to see the really tall Digimon Gazimon had identified as Beelzemon. Her eyes widened a little. He looked even scarier up close.

"Ignore him," Chiharu said soothingly. "He's just trying to be a tough guy."

The boy that had just walked up behind Chiharu laughed. "I'm Hiroshi," he told her. "Now come on. I'm sure you're hungry, right?" The little girl nodded, and Snimon landed in front of her. "This is my partner, Snimon," Hiroshi continued. "If you climb on his back, I'm sure we can get you back faster."

"Okay," Kazue nodded in agreement, climbing on the insect-like Digimon's back. The group headed back to the cafeteria.

"There you are!" Reiko exclaimed, smiling and running over to hug her friend once Kazue got off Snimon's back. "I was worried about you!"

Kazue carefully set her Egg down and hugged back. She frowned after a minute. "You just left me in the room," she accused. "You didn't wait for me."

"I was in the bathroom," Reiko said apologetically. "Sorry."

Beelzemon looked down at the two kids before turning his gaze to his partner. He raised an eyebrow. "Is she apologizing fer going to the bathroom?"

Chiharu looked back up at her Digimon. "Yeah, I think she did."

"Kids are weird," the Demon Lord said, shaking his head, making Chiharu, Hiroshi, and Snimon laugh.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Three days later, Kazue sat in her room. It was the afternoon, so she had nothing to do but stare at her Egg and wait for it to hatch. She wondered what kind of Digimon would come out of it, when she heard a cracking sound. The Egg was shaking, and the cracks spread down from the top. She was grinning with excitement when the Egg hatched, and what looked like a little cloud of smoke with a tiny flame at the top, eyes, and a mouth floated in its place. It had two little arms that were currently stretching on either side of it.

"Hi!" Kazue said. "My name's Kazue!"

"I'm Mokumon," the smoke Digimon introduced, floating in circles around his new partner.

"We gotta go," Kazue said, darting out of the room, and her new partner followed her. She had managed to remember where the front office was, and thought she should let the lady at the desk know that her partner had hatched.

She smiled brightly at Hotaru, who looked down at her and noticed Mokumon. "So your Digimon hatched," she said with a smile. She looked under the desk, where a small machine-type Digimon sat, connected by many wires to the computer, and was also plugged into the wall. "Datamon?" she asked.

"Entering data," he replied, and small volts of electricity could be seen flowing from his body to the computer. "Now, you should give her a D-Power," he added.

Hotaru reached into a drawer and pulled out one of the many D-Powers lying inside it. The ring around the screen was a pale, icy blue.

"Cool!" Kazue said with a bright smile. "Thanks!" The receptionist also handed her a schedule.

"You have Team Battling right now," she said. "It's just down the hall and around the corner."

Kazue smiled again. "Thank you," she said before running down the hall to find her class.

Datamon rolled his eyes, chuckling. "Kids."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Kazue was on her way outside with Mokumon, Reiko, and Gazimon to play. Mokumon had hatched two days ago, and Kazue had been ecstatic ever since. Ikeda walked over to her.

"Kazue," she said, squatting down to be at eye level with the child. "Some people are here to see you." The young girl followed her Art teacher, curious. Who would come to visit her?

When she got to the front office, she smiled and ran over. Her family was standing there, waiting for her. "Mommy! Daddy!" she yelled excitedly. Mokumon trailed behind. Her face fell slightly when she saw her 'perfect' twin brother next to them. "What are _you_ doing here?" she asked coldly.

"I just wanted to come say hi, and see how you were doing, that's all," Yuichi said. "Sorry…" He looked around. "So this is Digimon Academy. It looks pretty cool."

Kazue didn't believe that he 'only wanted to say hi'. She knew he must have convinced her parents to let him enroll here too, so that he could be better than her at yet another thing. She frowned, but then just decided to just ignore him. She turned back to her parents and said, "This is Mokumon. He's my partner. Mokumon, these are my mommy and daddy!" After a moment, she grudgingly added, "And that's my brother, Yuichi."

"Hi," Mokumon said before tugging on Kazue's sleeve. "Let's show them around!"

"Okay," the new Tamer agreed. "But we need a big kid to help. I still get lost." She looked around and saw a boy in an orange uniform walking nearby. She ran over. "Can you help me?" she asked. The other girl she'd met with an orange uniform was really nice, so she figured he must be, too.

"Sure, what do you need?" he asked with a smile.

"We're happy to help!" his Digimon, Popomon, answered.

"My mommy and daddy and brother are here and I wanna show them around. But I still get lost a lot…"

"Well," he replied with a chuckle. "I'm still pretty new here, but I could give it a try." He walked with Kazue to her family. "Hi, I'm Satoru Kono, and I guess I'm your guide for the day."

"Thank you very much, young man," Kazue's mother said with a smile.

"Alright, first stop: the nursery." He led them up to the nursery. As soon as they stepped in, though, an Egg near the door started glowing. "Hey," he said. "That looks familiar."

Popomon looked at Yuichi. "You must be a Digi-Destined, because that Egg's reacting to you being here!"

Kazue froze. Yuichi… was a Digi-Destined? "No!" she yelled, running off.

The school started shaking, and Satoru groaned. "That's never good," he muttered.

"Is it an earthquake?" Mr. Motonari asked.

Satoru shook his head. "Worse. It's only happened one time since I was here, but that usually means a Digital Gate opened. As we speak, Digimon are probably running through the hallways."

The loudspeaker came on, and they heard the receptionist speak. "A Digital Gate has been opened. We ask that all students evacuate the building. M-Class students are responsible for seeing that everyone gets to safety. We will inform you when it is safe to re-enter the building. Thank you for your cooperation."

Yuichi's eyes widened. "Kazue!" he yelled, darting through the door, but not heading for the exit. As soon as he left the nursery, the Egg stopped glowing.

"Crap," Satoru muttered, watching the boy leave. He knew he shouldn't leave the nursery, though. Since he was already here, and even though they couldn't do much, with Popomon still at Fresh Level, he felt that he should protect the nursery. "Go," he told the two worried parents. "I can't come with you, but just leave the building. I'm sure someone will find your children and get them out safely."

Both parents nodded, and left. A few seconds later, the Digi-Destined boy saw shadows in the halls, moving towards the door. "Oh, no," he muttered. "Maybe this was a bad idea…"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Yuichi ran. He didn't know where he was going, but he did know he was heading in the direction of his sister. Being twins, the two had an uncanny ability to always know where the other one was. "Kazue!" he yelled, searching for her. It wasn't safe; he had to get his sister out… He knew Kazue hated him, but that only made him sad. He knew his parents treated him nicer, just because he got better grades than Kazue. He frowned. Didn't she know that he didn't let that get to his head?

He saw his twin running down a hall, and darted after her. He had to bring her outside, to safety. That was the only thing that was important. When he caught up with Kazue, he grabbed her arm. "Come on!" he said. "We have to get out of here!"

But his sister shook free of his grasp. "No!" she yelled. "I'm not going anywhere with you! You think you're so much better than me, and you're a jerk, and Mommy and Daddy like you more!" She was crying now. "And now you're trying to be better than me here, too!"

"No, I'm not!" he said. "And Mommy and Daddy like us _both_! They're really worried about you, so let's go back." His sister sniffled and nodded, and they turned, coming face to face with a group of child-sized black Digimon. Their torsos were light blue, but their masks were black, and had one green eye and one red eye. They also had an eye in each palm.

"Oh, no," Yuichi said, trying to be brave for his sister. "Stay behind me," he told her, and she did so as they tried to move around the Digimon, but the group blocked their way. He bit his lip. How was he supposed to get out of this one?

Kazue started trying to back away, sneaking around them so that she could go and call for help, but she was spotted. "Undead Fang!" one of the Digimon called out, trying to attack the young girl. She screamed.

"No!" Yuichi yelled. He didn't think, he just reacted. Before he knew it, he was between his sister and the Digimon, shielding her from the attack.

His twin's eyes widened in horror. "Yuichi!" she yelled worriedly.

"You've got to get out of here," her brother told her. "Get help."

"I'm not leaving you here, you dummy!" she yelled.

She heard an older girl laugh behind them, but not in a mean way. "How cute," she said, still laughing. She wore an orange uniform, but for some strange reason, she was wearing they boys' style instead of the girls'. "C'mon kiddos, get up. We're getting you out of here."

Kazue helped her brother up, hiding behind the girl that had come to help. "The name's Tsukiko," she said. "And this is BlackGabumon." She pulled out her D-Agent. "And these little pests are called Dracmon. Rookie Level. Attacks: Undead Fang and Eye of Nightmare." She glanced down at the black, beast-like Digimon. "You up for this?" she asked him, earning a nod. "Alright," she said with a smirk. "Let's do this!"

"Petit Fire!" BlackGabumon called out, and a thin but powerful stream of fire flew from his mouth towards his attacked. They cringed away from the fire.

Tsukiko pulled a card from her deck and twirled it in her fingers for just a moment. "Let's give this baby a try." She swiped it through. "Digital Ability. Gatomon's Lightning Paw: Connect!"

BlackGabumon felt strength gather in his claws, and he darted forward to get in close range before attacking. "Lightning Paw!" Many Dracmon were reduced to Digi-Eggs.

"We're just getting started," Tsukiko said with a smile.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Satoru had placed a chair in front of the door, hoping that it would keep the Dracmon at bay until they lost interest, but he severely doubted that that would actually happen. He was never that lucky. He heard the skid of the chair as it flew from its position into a wall. He stepped between the door and the Eggs. No matter what, he had to protect the Eggs. Especially the one that reacted to that kid. That one needed to remain in one piece.

Popomon, sensing her partner's distress, jumped down from his hold of her and glowed, desperate to help Satoru do what needed to be done. "Popomon Digivolve to… Budmon!"

The Digi-Destined smiled at his partner's efforts to help, but things didn't look much better, with her still being In-Training.

"Pepper Breath!" Satoru heard a voice yell, and a blast of fire flew at the Digimon around the door, knocking them down. The door opened quickly, letting in one human and Digimon partner before closing just as fast.

"How are things in here?" Hideaki asked the older boy.

"Not good," he admitted. "Popomon Digivolved to Budmon, but she's still In-Training, so that still doesn't help us much."

"True," Hideaki said with a nod. He was silent for a moment, most likely formulating a plan. "I'll cover the frontal attacks," he said. "If any Dracmon get past me and close to the Eggs, take them out with your cards."

"Okay," the newer student said with a nod. It was a pretty good plan, after all. The two and their Digimon got into their positions, waiting for the inevitable charge.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"You okay, kids?" Tsukiko asked, guiding the twins outside the building, occasionally punching a Dracmon out of the way while BlackGabumon covered their retreat.

Both children nodded, a bit shaken. They hadn't expected to just be attacked like that.

"If being partnered with a Digimon means stuff like that happening," Kazue said, "then I don't wanna be a part of it."

"Me neither," Yuichi said, shaking his head.

Tsukiko sighed. "That's where you're both wrong. We exist to _stop_ stuff like that from happening. We deal with it, so that other people don't have to." She smiled at the kids. "We're kind of like superheroes." They made it out of the building, and the twins ran over to their parents.

"You're a very good person," BlackGabumon observed.

"I'm sorry, Mommy," Kazue said, clinging to her mother. "I was so scared, but Yuichi saved me!"

Satoru walked over, now that everything was over with, and looked down at the boy. "Come on, let's get you back up to the nursery. There's an Egg waiting for you."

But Yuichi shook his head, surprising everyone. "No, thanks. This is my sister's kind of thing. If she doesn't want me to, then I won't."

Kazue stared at her brother in shock for a moment. He was going to give up the chance to become a Digi-Destined, to be like a superhero, just to make her feel better? She shook her head. "It's okay," she told her twin brother with a smile.

They were led back up to the nursery, where Satoru had placed the Egg that had started to react to Yuichi in the center of the room. As soon as he walked through the door, it glowed again, and it began to hatch. When it did, another Mokumon sat in place for a moment before flying over to him. The twins looked at each other and laughed.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"It's a good thing to see them so happy," Shinji, the security guard, observed.

"Yes, I suppose it is," Shimizu replied. "Unfortunately, these kids have a long, hard road ahead of them."

Shinji nodded. "But they're up for it. I know it."

**Next time:  
Chiharu: Why is it that some Digimon feel the need to attack us in the first place? I mean, we're promoting peace, aren't we?  
Aoki: There are many Digimon that don't support the union of human and Digimon, and they gather followers.  
Hideaki: So… it's kind of like a terrorist group.  
Aoki: I suppose you could say that.  
Nakayama: Almost everyone's here. We just need to wait for that one more Digi-Destined, and then we can really get the ball rolling.**

**Alright, not my best chapter, I know, but I had to introduce the twins some way, so I figured this was the way to do it. It may seem just a bit choppy at the end, but that's because it's Wednesday while I'm writing this, and I promised to update weekly, so I needed to make sure this got up. Thank you for reading, and please: Ask questions so my characters and I can answer them~**


	9. Work As A Team

**Alright, question time~  
Question 1: What happens when a kid gets a Digimon as a partner in the wild or something, and isn't enrolled in the Academy?  
Me: Well, usually, the kid realizes what has to be done, so they enroll in the closest Academy that they can. On occasion, though, someone will ignore that, and they tend to get into a lot of trouble. That's when, unfortunately, Academy personnel have to be sent in to take care of the problem, which usually means separating the child and Digimon by turned the Digimon back into an Egg.  
Question 2: Why is it that most Digimon fanfics involving the Demon Lords have Beelzemon?  
Me: Well, I can't speak for everyone else, but for me… frankly, Beelzemon is not only my favorite Demon Lord, but he's my favorite Digimon in general, without a doubt. Maybe that's the way it is with other people, but I couldn't tell you. This is just my view on things.  
Question 3: Since there are twins, and one is a Digi-Destined, does that mean that they will share a room, or will they just be really close and start drifting away when their Digimon Digivolve?  
Me: Alright, so the twins **_**don't**_** room together, since they're in completely different dorms. They're pretty close, but not extremely, so the distance doesn't bother them too much, especially since they can always visit each other. At home, they were still pretty close, but it's not like they did **_**everything**_** together, because remember, Kazue was always really jealous of Yuichi, so she tried to interact with him as little as possible. In the first half of the day, though, when they have classes with their age group, and during lunch, they usually hang out.**

**Disclaimer: I only own the human characters, the Academy, and the plot. Got it?**

Chiharu lounged in the dorm, grateful for Class D's free period. There had been so many attacks lately, and it wore Chiharu out. Her partner, however, was just waiting for another one. She glanced over at their newest member, Yuichi, who was lying on the carpet, watching TV. Mokumon was lying next to him, asleep. She couldn't help but wonder how Yuichi felt about all of this. He was just a ten year old kid, after all. Would he be ready if the time ever came to fight? Could he handle the responsibility all Digi-Destined had on their shoulders?

"Class starts in five," Satoru called, heading down the stairs. "Better get ready."

"Aww," Yuichi frowned. "I wanted to finish watching this."

"That's what the record button's for, kiddo," Tsukiko told him, setting the show to record before turning the television off.

The young boy sighed before nudging his partner awake. "C'mon, Mokumon," he told the Digimon. "We gotta go to class now."

The group of five humans and their Digimon headed toward the main building, ready to get to Phys Ed. When they got there, Beelzemon took his spot against the wall, where he stayed when he wasn't battling. Chiharu stood next to him, waiting for instruction.

Aoki smiled at them. "Alright, how about we start with… Motonari and Kono."

Both boys nodded, but Yuichi looked a bit nervous. He hadn't been to Technical Abilities yet, so he wasn't completely sure how to use his cards yet. Chiharu had been nice enough to show him the basics, but beyond that, he had no clue. Satoru saw the younger boy's nervousness, and smiled kindly. He held up his deck. "If you want, I won't use these," he told Yuichi, who smiled back, relieved.

"Thanks," he said gratefully.

Aoki took her place and said, "Battle… begin!"

"Smoky Blow!" Mokumon yelled, and a cloud of smoke surrounded the area, making it impossible to see what was going on. They heard a cry of pain, and when the smoke had mostly cleared, Mokumon was lying on the ground. The only conclusion anyone could come up with was that he must have rammed into the spikes on Budmon's head.

"Mokumon!" Yuichi yelled, a little worried for his partner.

Aoki blinked for a moment, shocked at how quickly this battle was over. "And the winner is…"

"Not yet," Mokumon said softly, climbing back up. "I'm not done yet." He rose with a new determination. "Mokumon Digivolve to… DemiMeramon!"

"DemiMeramon, In-Training Level," his partner read. "Attacks: Fireball and Flame Shot." He smiled. "Come on, DemiMeramon, we can do this!"

"Fireball!" DemiMeramon yelled, and Budmon only just narrowly avoided it.

"Poison Thorns!" she yelled in retaliation, but they were stopped and destroyed by another fireball. Mokumon kept firing at Budmon, and finally received a 'come from behind' victory.

"We did it!" Yuichi said excitedly, hugging his fiery partner, who grinned.

Aoki smiled a bit as the two cleared the 'arena'. "Takaki, Kokawa, I guess it's your turn, while we've still got some time left."

The two smirked at each other before taking their positions. This was going to be a fun battle. They'd already fought once, at In-Training Level. Now, at a stronger stage, things would be a lot more interesting.

"We're not going to hold back, you know," Hideaki told the older girl, who smirked in response.

"I was hoping you'd say that," she responded.

"Battle… begin!"

"Petit Fire!" BlackGabumon yelled, attacking before BlackAgumon could strike. The black dinosaur jumped out of the way, just narrowly avoiding the attack.

BlackAgumon kept dodging his opponent's attacks, while steadily making his way closer to BlackGabumon. As soon as he was close enough, he attacked. "Pepper Breath!" he yelled, and the fireball hit BlackGabumon point blank. The beast-like Digimon stumbled back, but quickly recovered. Both students had now taken out their decks.

"Digital Enhancement," Tsukiko started, picked a card. "Speed: Connect!"

As soon as she slid the card, BlackGabumon became a dark blur. Hideaki, however, seemed to be having the same idea.

"Digital Enhancement. Speed: Connect!"

It became impossible to follow the battle in front of them, because all anyone could see were two dark blurs darting back and forth around each other. Occasionally, a flame could be seen, signaling an attack, but other than that, no one could tell who was winning and who was losing. Finally, though, the cards' effects began wearing off. Both Digimon seemed a bit worn out, but BlackGabumon was in better shape than BlackAgumon. After a staring contest that lasted about ten seconds, BlackAgumon finally found himself on the ground, declaring Tsukiko and BlackGabumon as the winners.

Hideaki helped his Digimon up, and Tsukiko and her partner walked back over. "Hey," she said. "We didn't rough him up too much, did we?"

"Nah, I'm fine," BlackAgumon assured the girl.

Hideaki looked back up at Tsukiko. "We're going to beat you, one day," he told her, determined to do so. She laughed.

"Okay," she said with a grin. "But don't think I'm gonna make it easy for you."

"Deal."

"Aw, how sweet," Beelzemon commented, watching the two. Chiharu elbowed him in the side and Tsukiko rolled her eyes. "What?"

"You're such an idiot," Chiharu said, shaking her head and starting to walk toward the door as the bell rang. The students, along with Aoki, made their way to the Digimon History classroom, where they would start their next class.

As soon as the second bell rang, and the students and Digimon were in their seats, Aoki headed for her desk while Phantomon went into her office to get something. He returned quickly, carrying a pile of textbooks. He placed them on each desk, and handed the last to Beelzemon, since he still refused to sit. They all groaned at the sight of the thick book. "Oh, it's not that bad," Aoki said. "Digimon History is interesting." She turned to the white board behind her and wrote some numbers down. "I want you to open to page 6. Today, we'll be reading about the Treaty of Primary Village. But first, I think there's something very important that needs to be brought up. As I'm sure you all know, it's your job to work together as a team to stop any threat to or from the Digital World. As I'm sure you've figured out, there _is_ something coming, and that's why all of you are here now. Digimon attacks on the Human World have increased dramatically in the past few months." Chiharu raised her hand. "Yes, Miura?"

"Why is it that some Digimon feel the need to attack us in the first place? I mean, we're promoting peace, aren't we?" she asked.

"There are many Digimon that don't support the union of human and Digimon, and they gather followers," she answered.

"So… it's kind of like a terrorist group," Hideaki guessed.

Aoki nodded. "I suppose you could say that. And they choose to attack the Academies around the world to show this. After all, we _are_ the people that brought us together. Anyway, back to your books."

All the humans complied, as did most of the Digimon. Chiharu glanced in Beelzemon's direction, and was surprised to see him already reading. But he was much farther into the book than he was supposed to be, and he wore a deep frown. She'd have to ask him about it later. She turned back to her book and read.

_The Treaty of Primary Village took place in 1684. Back then, the Digital World was viewed as magic, and the Gates were known as portals. A long war had waged for many years between humans and Digimon. Some Digimon, however, wished for peace with the humans, causing a civil war, known as the War of Unions. Finally, after years of fighting, a truce was called. As a sign of good faith, the leader of the Human Organization of Digital Peace, which would one day form a school to educate children on Digimon and how to work as one with them, traveled to the Digital World and met with the leaders of the Digimon: Zhuqiaomon, leader of the Digital Opposition, and Azulongmon, leader of the Digital Support. The three signed a treaty in Primary Village, a village of peace where all Digimon are sent when they are reconfigured to be reborn. The Treaty of Primary Village, as it is called, stated that Digimon would no longer attack the Human World, and humans would be allowed to partner with Digimon as long as both the human and the Digimon agreed to the partnership. Humans were allowed to help to Digimon if a great threat ever befell the Digital World, but would otherwise leave it to its own devices_.

"Okay," Chiharu muttered when she was done reading. "Maybe Digimon History _isn't_ so boring." She glanced back over at Beelzemon, surprised that he was still immersed in the textbook. Finally, he snapped it shut, claws digging into the cover. He slammed it down on Chiharu's desk, clearly wanting nothing to do with it anymore. She gave him a quizzical look, but said nothing.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"What was _that_ all about?" Chiharu asked Beelzemon on their way out.

"What was what all about?" Beelzemon asked, feigning ignorance.

"You know, you getting all mad about a textbook after actually _reading_ it all period?" the girl told him.

He glared at her. "That book's a bunch of lies," he growled through gritted teeth.

"What do you mean?" Chiharu asked.

He shook his head, trying to rid his mind if the contents of the Digimon History book. "Nothing. Never mind, it was nothing."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Kazue!" Yuichi ran over to his sister once classes were over. "Guess what! Mokumon Digivolved!" He showed Kazue DemiMeramon.

She grinned at him. "Mine, too!" She showed her brother her own In-Training Digimon, and both laughed. What were the chances that a pair of twins would get the same Digimon?

Reiko walked over to the two. She smiled at Yuichi and said, "I don't think I met you before. I'm Reiko. I'm Kazue's best friend."

"I'm Yuichi," he replied. "I'm her twin brother."

"Cool!" the girl said, and her Digimon laughed.

"You two even have the same Digimon, too," Gazimon pointed out. "What did you guys learn about today?"

"We read from a textbook," Yuichi said. "We got to learn about the Treaty of…" He thought for a minute, but couldn't remember the name.

"Treaty of Primary Village?" Reiko supplied.

"Yeah, that's it! Thanks."

"No problem."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu lay down in the couch in the lounge, looking at Beelzemon once again. "You were reading to see what it said about the Demon Lords, weren't you?"

Beelzemon was unresponsive for a moment before finally nodding. "Yeah, and it's a boatload of crap."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"_No_." Chiharu actually winced at the amount of anger and venom put into that one word. Beelzemon may have been her partner, but he could still scare even her if he wanted to.

"Alright, alright, I get it," she said, raising her hands in an 'I surrender' motion. "Subject dropped."

"Good."

She rolled her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. "Digimon that want to stop humans from partnering with Digimon, huh?" she asked. "Do you have any idea about this?"

"Why are ya asking me?" he asked with a raised brow.

"Well," she started. "I figured that since you're the only Digimon around here that remembers their past life, there might be some important info you knew about."

"If I did, don't ya think I would've said something?" he asked in a 'duh' tone.

Chiharu propped herself up on her elbows to be able to look at him more easily. "Hey, no need to get annoyed. I just never know with you, okay?"

He looked at her for a minute before shaking his head. "So… we got one more person coming, huh?"

"Yeah. I wonder when…"

"Who knows?" a voice asked as the front door opened. Chiharu and Beelzemon both looked up to see Satoru entering the dorm with Budmon. "I hope it's soon, though. I think I overheard some of the teachers saying that they can't start properly training us to be a team until all of us are here."

"I don't need a team," Beelzemon muttered. "I'm fine by myself." The two humans ignored him.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Almost everyone's here," Nakayama said happily, practically skipping around the teacher's lounge. We just need to wait for that one more Digi-Destined, and then we can really get the ball rolling."

"You get your hope up so high," Nishimura said, shaking his head.

Ikeda sighed. "Be nice. He's got every right to be excited. We _are_, after all, going to be teaching the children that are going to save the world."

Nakayama nodded. "Exactly."

Dianamon sighed. "Listen. We don't know when the next Digi-Destined will show up. It could be in a few hours, or it could be in a few years."

"Let's think about this rationally, though," Apollomon said, putting in his two cents. "It would only make sense for the next one to show up soon. The Digi-Destined appear because the Digital World is in danger. Don't you think that they'd all be picked sooner rather than later?"

"See?" Nakayama said, looking at Nishimura smugly.

"I suppose that's a good argument," he replied. "Where are the other students now? We should have a meeting with them."

"Oh, right, hold on. I'll call Hotaru," Ikeda said, pulling out her phone.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Class D students, please report to the Team Battling classroom," Hotaru's voice came over the loudspeaker. Tsukiko sighed, stepping away from the punching bag. She was sweaty, and could probably do with a shower, but she figured that the meeting might be important. She didn't even bother to take the time to put her uniform back on, instead, heading to the designated classroom in her tank top and sweatpants, with BlackGabumon close at her heels. She took a drink from her water bottle and opened the door to see everyone else already there. They all stared at her for a moment.

"What? I was in the gym," she said, and they all looked back at Ikeda, who stood at the front of the room.

"Alright, so we're all here?" she asked, quickly counting heads. "Good! Okay, basically you're all here to try to learn to work as a team. I'm going to set the room for Level 5, and I expect you all to work together, okay?" She gave Beelzemon a pointed look, but said nothing more on the matter. Instead, she walked over to the panel, and pressed a few buttons. As soon as she was done, she headed towards the observation room, and the room changed into a quarry-like area. The five and their partners looked around, waiting for an attack.

"Satoru, Yuichi, you guys are still at the In-Training Level, so you stay behind us, okay?" Chiharu instructed, taking charge. The two boys complied. "Now, what have they got for us this time?"

No sooner than she said that, a group of large, green dinosaur-like Digimon emerged from behind large boulders. "Tuskmon," Hideaki read. "Champion Level. Attacks: Slamming Tusk, Horn Buster, and Bayonet Lancer."

"Just leave 'em to me," Beelzemon ordered, drawing the Berenjena.

"No," Chiharu told her partner. "We work as a team, remember?"

"Whatever," he said, not lowering the guns. "It ain't like they can do anything. They're just Rookies or lower."

Chiharu didn't have a comeback for that. It was true, they _were_ the only ones beyond Rookie Level, so they were probably the only ones capable of fighting the Tuskmon, but they were ordered to work as a team, so that was what they'd do.

"Maybe this is meant to help us Digivolve," Tsukiko suggested, pulling out her D-Agent. "But how…?"

"Guys, decide what we're gonna do fast, or I'm shooting 'em into next week, cuz they're getting closer!" Beelzemon yelled to the group. His trigger finger was itching, but he was compelled by Chiharu's 'orders' to wait, but he could only do so for so long before he snapped and went wild.

"Alright, Beelzemon," Chiharu said, having become the unspoken leader. "Distract them long enough for us to figure out how to make the other Digimon Digivolve, okay?"

He nodded, ready for some action. "You got it." And with that, he ran at the Tuskmon, grabbing their attention. Occasionally, he'd take a swipe at one, but he grudgingly made sure that none of the attacks were lethal.

"Well, before, they Digivolved because we needed their help, or because they were in a lot of trouble," Satoru pointed out.

Hideaki raised an eyebrow. "So you're saying we should just run in there and hope our Digimon save us before we get killed?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying," Satoru said, annoyed. "I'm just saying that maybe, if the Tuskmon get close enough, but still far enough away that we'll be safe, maybe something will react in the Digimon that will make them Digivolve to help us."

"That's not a bad plan," Tsukiko said with a smirk. She turned to Chiharu. "Get Beelzemon to draw them closer."

"Right," the goggle-head said with a nod. "Hey Beelzemon!" she yelled, catching her partner's attention. "Get them to come closer!"

"What are you, nuts?!" he yelled back.

"Just trust me! We've got a plan!"

"Alright," he agreed. "But if you get killed, it ain't my fault!" With that, he bolted back towards the kids, with the enraged Tuskmon following after him.

"Well?" Hideaki asked BlackAgumon. "Feeling any different."

"Not really…" the small black dinosaur admitted, but after a short moment, his head perked up. "Wait… something feels weird."

"Yeah," BlackGabumon said. "Me, too."

"BlackAgumon Digivolve to… DarkTyrannomon!"

"BlackGabumon Digivolve to… BlackGarurumon!"

"DarkTyrannomon," Hideaki read from his D-Agent. "Champion Level. Attacks: Fire Blast and Iron Tail. Cool."

"BlackGarurumon," Tsukiko said. "Champion Level. Attacks: Howling Blaster and Freeze Fang. Sweet."

Chiharu looked back at DemiMeramon and Budmon. "Nothing?" she asked the two of them.

"Nothing," DemiMeramon replied.

"Sorry," Budmon apologized.

"It can't be helped," Chiharu said, shaking her head. She looked back at the two newly Digivolved Digimon. "Alright, we're ready?"

"Yeah!" both Virus types assured her.

Beelzemon returned to his partner's side, and the first Digi-Destined smiled. "Then let's do this!"

The Tuskmon were almost upon them, forming a circle to ensure that they didn't escape. The three students with Digimon that could fight nodded at each other, and all yelled in unison: "Go!"

BlackGarurumon charged, knocking many Tuskmon off their feet. "Freeze Fang!" he attacked, sinking his teeth into the green dinosaurs.

"Fire Blast!" DarkTyrannomon called, firing at the enemies the BlackGarurumon had immobilized. Both took a moment to glance over at the over-enthusiastic Demon Lord they were forced to team up with.

"You want some?" he was taunting a group that circled him. "You want some of this, huh?" He spun his guns before suddenly stopping and aiming. "Double Impact!" he yelled, shooting repeatedly until the Tuskmon that had targeted him were nothing but data bits.

"Beelzemon, watch out!" DarkTyrannomon called in warning as a few of their opponents tried to sneak up behind him.

"Darkness Claw!" He whirled around, taking out all the Tuskmon that had been stupid enough to think that they were any match for a Demon Lord. "I don't need your help!" he informed them. "I'm fine on my own."

"Whatever you say…" BlackGarurumon muttered, shaking his head.

"Iron Tail!" DarkTyrannomon yelled, slamming his tail into the last two remaining Tuskmon. "Heads up, BlackGarurumon!"

The large canine Digimon looked up, and saw the two green enemies flying straight towards him. He knew in an instant what his teammate's plan was. "Howling Blaster!" Having been weakened by previous attacks, the last of their opponents disintegrated upon impact.

Tsukiko grinned, and held her fist up to Hideaki, who bumped it with his own. Their Digimon made a good team.

The two Champions glowed and Degenerated as the quarry faded away and there was just a classroom again.

Ikeda walked back in, holding a clipboard. She set it down on a desk and applauded. "Very good, for your first time as a team. I'm impressed!" She beamed at the kids. "I wish you good luck. You're free to go now."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"That was awesome!" Tsukiko exclaimed to BlackGabumon as they headed back to the gym to retrieve her stuff. "We didn't even have to use our cards or anything!"

"But that was only a computer simulation," her partner pointed out. "And it was also only Level 5. A real situation would be a lot harder than that. We wouldn't have any safeguards, either."

"Oh, just shut up and let me praise you," the girl said, giving BlackGabumon a noogie.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"That was actually kind of fun," BlackAgumon commented once he and Hideaki were back in their room.

"Careful, or you'll start sounding like Beelzemon," the human teased.

"You know what I meant!"

"Calm down," he said. "I was just teasing you."

"Oh. Sorry," BlackAgumon said sheepishly. He yawned. "All that fighting made me tired. Can I go to bed?"

"You can take a nap. We've got to go to dinner in a little bit, remember?"

"Oh, right… wake me up when it's time to go…" the Digimon said, laying on the floor, which he insisted was comfortable.

"You got it, buddy."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu went to find her friends after the training session. As soon as they noticed her, they ran over to meet her.

"Why'd they call all of you down to the Team Battling room?" Asuka asked.

"To train them to work as a team, I'd assume," BlackSeraphimon said, and Chiharu nodded.

"Yep, that's exactly it. It was pretty cool. BlackAgumon and BlackGabumon Digivolved, and we kicked butt," the Digi-Destined told her Tamer friends.

"I didn't need any help," Beelzemon muttered bitterly.

"Oh, just accept that you aren't going to get _all_ the action, and move on with your life," Chiharu said light-heartedly. Beelzemon, however, didn't seem to see the joke, and stormed off, possibly to go train more by himself.

"He needs to chill out," Hiroshi said, popping his gum.

"He's been a ball of anger since the beginning," Snimon informed them.

"This is true," Lotosmon acknowledged. "He would have made a better Demon Lord of Wrath."

"Come on, guys," Chiharu said. "He's not _that_ bad…" But even she was starting to have her doubts.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Nakayama glanced down at the clipboard left on his desk. They really _had_ designated him as the mentor of the Digi-Destined kids. He read the 'teamwork' report on their training session.

_Kono and Motonari weren't ready to fight yet. Their Digimon haven't Digivolved to the appropriate levels for the session. BlackGarurumon and DarkTyrannomon make a good team. It would be advisable to keep them closely knit._

He laughed at the single sentence after Beelzemon's name:

_Doesn't play well with others._

**Next time:  
Nakayama: We've finally got a complete team!  
Chiharu: Beelzemon! What the heck is wrong with you?!  
Beelzemon: He's a Demon Lord!  
Chiharu: News flash: So are you!  
Beelzemon: This is the bastard that left me to die!**

**Oh. My. God. I only **_**just**_** made it with finishing this on time. That last little part, with Nakayama reading the comment on Beelzemon's skill with fighting as a team (or lack thereof) was something I've been wanting to write ever since I came up with this idea. Also, I have a little announcement for you all: If you ever want to, feel free to use any of my characters in a story of your own. You don't need to ask, but I would like to be credited, and it would be appreciated (but not necessary) for you to let me know, so I can read how you portray my characters. And remember: review with feedback or questions, please~**


	10. Full Team Or is it?

**The questions are in, and we thank you for them~  
Question 1: With entering the Academy, is there a whole application process and only a few out of a pool are accepted, or can anyone just show up?  
Headmaster: Usually, yes, there's an application process. But most are accepted. If the class happens to be a bit 'full', we usually suggest studying abroad in another branch, and many students do so. The only exceptions to the rule were Miura, for obvious reasons, and Kokawa, because he was just dropped off here. We agreed to take him in, however, because we knew he'd have nowhere else to go.  
Dynasmon: Yes, to those of you who doubt it, we **_**do**_** have hearts.  
Question 2: Beelzemon, what exactly did you read in that textbook that was a bunch of bologna?  
Beelzemon: Just a bunch of lies.  
Chiharu: Like?  
Beelzemon: If you'll just wait some more episodes, you'll find out!  
Chiharu: But that's going to be a lot later…  
Beelzemon: JUST DROP IT!  
Chiharu: Okay, okay, sheesh…**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. I never did, and I never will. I do, however, own every human in this story, as well as the Academy itself and the plot.**

The group had gotten into a basic routine now. They'd have their normal classes, and then just about every other day, before dinner, they'd practice battling as a team. Afterwards, Yuichi would usually hang out with his sister and her friend Reiko. Tsukiko would go to the gym and work out, and Hideaki would shut himself in his room, usually entertaining himself by talking with BlackAgumon. Satoru holed himself up in the library, and Chiharu would talk with her first friends at the Academy, and of course, every Digi-Destined's partner would come along with them.

Yuichi ran over to Kazue and Reiko, his Digimon following close behind. He was very happy that he had managed to Digivolve to his Rookie form: Candlemon. "Hey, guys!" he called happily, making the girls look up.

"Hi, Yuichi!" Kazue called, waving. She noticed that his Digimon had Digivolved very quickly, and felt the quickest tinge of jealousy for a second before realizing that she shouldn't be. She'd accepted that her brother was a Digi-Destined, so he'd probably get in more training than her, as well as advancing faster, so she didn't mind nearly as much as she initially did. "It's really cool that you're Digimon Digivolved," she told him once the boy and his partner reached them. "My DemiMeramon didn't, yet," she added, nodding toward her partner, who was currently floating next to her head.

"I'm just waiting for the right moment," the small fireball said.

"So how did you get him to Digivolve?" Reiko asked.

"Well," Yuichi said with a grin. "We were training some more, and…"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

_Nakayama had asked Yuichi and Satoru to have another, special training session after dinner, since clearly, nothing they'd done to train so far was working. Their gym class battles never amounted to much after their initial fight that made Mokumon Digivolve to DemiMeramon. "We're going to put the two of you in the Team Battling room, but we're going to set it to a very low level," he told the boys, motioning to Ikeda, who was already at the panel._

"_I'm thinking Level 2," Ikeda told him, and he nodded. She finished at the panel, and the both of them left, leaving the boys alone, as the room faded away to a dark cave. Yuichi shivered slightly. He was afraid of the dark. Terrified, actually, but he had to get a grip on himself. This was just a training session, there was nothing to really be afraid of._

"_It's okay," Satoru told him calmly. He could tell the ten-year-old was afraid. "Remember, none of this is real."_

"_I know," the little boy said softly. He shook his head, almost like he was trying to clear his mind of any frightened thoughts. Then he smiled. "Let's do this."_

_No sooner than he said that, they saw four sets of glowing, yellow eyes open. Yuichi took an unconscious step back, but then realized what he was doing and stood his ground. "DemiMeramon," he started, but the flame got his message._

"_Fireball!" he yelled, throwing fire at the owners of the eyes, temporarily lighting the cave up enough to see them._

_Satoru looked down at the illuminated screen of his Digivice as the 3D image of the Digimon they'd glimpsed popped up. "DemiDevimon," he read, examining the image. They hadn't gotten a good look at their new opponents, but it had apparently been enough for the D-Agent to identify them. The Digimon were small and blue, with bright yellow eyes. They looked like little bowling balls with wings and two small legs that ended in red, bird-like talons. "Rookie Level. Attacks: Demi Dart, Bat Flutter, and Evil Whisper."_

"_Demi Dart!" they heard a voice yell from behind them, causing the boys and their Digimon to duck. The sharp needle of what looked like a large syringe skimmed Satoru's back._

_Budmon frowned, angry about the attack. She noticed DemiMeramon throwing fireballs left and right, not letting up on his attack. "Poison Thorns!" she yelled, and the pink thorns on her body fired off, heading toward the one that had thrown the dart like missiles. It hit, and she was about to cheer as it fell, but was cut short as she heard both the humans cry out. She and DemiMeramon were by their sides in an instant, seeing the darts that had hit the boys, and were currently emptying their liquid contents. DemiMeramon quickly pulled the one out of Yuichi, and Budmon latched her mouth on the one in Satoru, pulling it out. "This isn't right," she said quietly. "This is just training, so they shouldn't get hurt!"_

"_Yeah," DemiMeramon agreed. They both turned to the DemiDevimon, which had lined up in front of them, preparing for another attack._

"_We won't let you hurt them!" they yelled together._

"_Budmon Digivolve to… Lalamon!"_

"_DemiMeramon Digivolve to… Candlemon!"_

_The humans groaned, rubbing their arms when they'd been hit. The darts hadn't contained any sort of poison, but more likely something along the lines of Novocain. The spot they'd been hit was numb. Yuichi grinned when he saw his Digivolved partner._

"_Candlemon," he read excitedly from his tan and navy blue D-Agent. "Rookie Level. Attacks: Paraffin Paralyzer, and…" he snickered "Lava Loogie."_

_Satoru had to resist the urge to laugh at that and looked down at his own green and pink D-Agent. "Lalamon, Rookie Level. Attacks: Seed Blast, Sing a Song, and Lala Spiral." He smiled. "Now we're talking."_

"_Seed Blast!" Lalamon called out, targeting one of the DemiDevimon while Candlemon took out his own. Soon, the boys and their partners were done, and the classroom came back._

"_Very good!" Nakayama strolled back in, clapping._

_Ikeda nodded, smiling. "That went very well, I think. You're free to go, now."_

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Cool!" both girls said in awe.

"Yep," he said with a bright smile. "Candlemon's great!"

The Digimon in question blushed. "I'm not _that_ wonderful," he protested, making the group of kids, DemiMeramon, and Gazimon all laugh.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu, Asuka, Dai, and Hiroshi sat in the lounge of the main building, watching TV. BlackSeraphimon and Lotosmon were locked in a game of chess, Snimon was watching TV with them, and Beelzemon was taking a little power nap against the wall.

"So, how have things been going for you so far?" Asuka asked.

"Yeah, especially those extra Team Battling sessions. How's that working for you?" Dai questioned.

"Hehe, not too well…" Chiharu answered. "Beelzemon's not good at working on a team. He likes to be more on his own, so… He's not really helping anyone else, and he won't let them help him. Tsukiko and Hideaki fight as a pretty good team, though."

"I wonder if he'll get better about that…" Snimon muttered.

"Maybe, maybe not," Hiroshi said, popping his gum. "Who knows?"

The group was quiet for a minute before Chiharu spoke up again. "What does the textbook say about the Demon Lords?" she asked, remembering her partner's reaction to what he read.

"Well, there's a lot of stuff," Lotosmon said, having finished her game with BlackSeraphimon. "But it starts with how the Demons Lords first banded together and overthrew Zhuqiaomon and Azulongmon a long time ago, and then how their reign of terror went. There were a bunch of rebellions, but each was brutally crushed."

Chiharu thought for a moment. Why would Beelzemon be angry about that when it was true? Why did it annoy him so much? She glanced back at her partner. They'd become a little close over the few weeks she'd been at the Academy, but as she thought, she realized something very important: she didn't really know anything about the Demon Lord.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Shinji watched the security screens. The last few days had been pretty dull, which was, in his opinion, a good thing. There were no fights that had broken out and no Gates had opened. All was peaceful, which was a big surprise considering that they now taught a student partnered with a Demon Lord.

"We should be getting a new student today," LadyDevimon informed him. "I think her name is Mayu Midorikawa."

"Hm," he replied. "Maybe she'll be that sixth Digi-Destined Nakayama keeps going on and on about coming soon."

"I hope so," LadyDevimon said. "Something's been feeling off for a while, even before Chiharu showed up. Something's wrong in the Digital World, and we _need_ these kids to fix it."

Shinji saw something out of the corner of his eye and glanced back at the screen showing the front hall. A girl with light hair was walking in with a woman that the guard assumed was her mother. That had to be Mayu. "Looks like she's here now," he stated. He glanced back at his partner to see her staring at a screen, clearly unnerved. "What is it?"

"I think you'd better have a look at this," she said, voice shaking ever so slightly. She pointed to a screen that showed a very dark room that usually had no movement. There were six Eggs on a table, and they usually remained motionless, but right now, one of them was shaking ever so slightly. The longer time went on, though, the more it began to shake. He quickly pulled his phone out in a panic.

"Sir?" he said as soon as the Headmaster picked up. "We have a problem. A _big_ problem. The new student we got today, Mayu Midorikawa? She made an Egg react, but…" He hesitated, hating to have to be the one to break the news. "It came from the Sealed Room. And…" he zoomed to camera in to see the small symbol on the Egg. "I think it's _his_ Egg."

"Call Nakayama, and have him meet the girl in the lobby. And bring the Egg down," the Headmaster ordered.

"Yes, Sir," Shinji said, hanging up before dialing Nakayama's number. He thought he was nervous when it was _Beelzemon's_ Egg that hatched… "Nakayama? Go to the lobby. I think we've just got our sixth Digi-Destined."

He could practically hear the smile in the teacher's voice when he said, "We've finally got a complete team!" If only he knew…

They disconnected the call, and Shinji went to retrieve the Egg, dreading the future to come.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Beelzemon's eyes snapped open. Something was going on, and he knew it. His fists clenched as he recognized a familiar presence, even though it was very faint. He'd know that presence anywhere.

He dashed out of the lounge and stood in the doorway to see that security guard that had brought his Egg out bringing a new Egg to a girl with long blonde hair and deep blue eyes. But he ignored the girl, his eyes were locked on the Egg. He stalked over, and Chiharu, who realized that it would be a good idea to follow him, was close behind.

The Egg in the girl's hands glowed as it cracked, making Beelzemon's eyes widen with pure anger. As soon as the Egg was fully hatched, Beelzemon drew one of the Berenjena and held it up to the small, white Digimon before him, a look of pure hatred on his face.

"Beelzemon!" Chiharu yelled, grabbing his arm and made a futile attempt to push it away from the Baby Digimon he was aiming at. "What the heck is wrong with you?!"

"He's a Demon Lord!" he yelled, grip tightening around his gun.

"News flash: So are you!" Chiharu yelled back, wondering why Beelzemon would be so completely enraged by that fact.

"This is the bastard that left me to die!"

As soon as Beelzemon uttered those words, time seemed to stop for Chiharu. It made so much more sense. Beelzemon had recognized the presence of his old leader, and got angry, so he came out to see if it was true. When he saw that it was, he wanted revenge. She looked back at the expression on her partner's face, briefly wondering if she should let him do it, but quickly shook the thought off. The teachers would turn him back into a Digi-Egg for sure if he did that. In fact, by the horrified looks on their faces, they looked like they were about to right now.

"Beelzemon, stop it right now!" she yelled, doing the only thing she could think of doing. She pushed the girl back far enough and planted herself between the two Digimon.

"What's your problem?!" the girl yelled. "That Digimon's a psychopath! Please tell me he's not _actually_ someone's partner here!"

"He is," Shinji replied.

"And yer Digimon is just like me!" Beelzemon hissed angrily. "Ain't that right, Lucemon?"

But the Digimon just looked at him, terrified, making everyone there realize that he, unlike Beelzemon, did not remember his past. Right now, he was just an ordinary Digimon.

"Puttimon," Chiharu muttered. "Fresh Level. Attack: Angel Dust." She looked back at him. "He _looks_ pretty harmless."

"Haven't ya learned that looks can be deceiving?!" Beelzemon yelled, making poor, defenseless Puttimon whimper.

The girl was taking a few steps back, obviously trying to escape the wrath of the enraged Demon Lord.

"Beelzemon, stop it! Whatever happened in the past, you're going to deal with it, because he's one of us now!" Chiharu yelled at him.

Dianamon was suddenly between the two, glaring at them both. "Stop it, both of you. One, you are supposed to be partners, not adversaries, and two, Chiharu is right. You have to accept that Lucemon is the partner to a Digi-Destined, just like you are."

Beelzemon grumbled angrily, but didn't object. It was now that he noticed the danger he'd put himself in by losing his temper. Chiharu smiled and turned to her teacher and his Digimon. "So, now we're all here, right? The six Digi-Destined you've been so excited about?"

Nakayama nodded with a bright smile. "Yes, and once Puttimon Digivolves enough to be able to fight properly, we can really prepare for what's probably to come."

Chiharu looked back at the girl, who was now watching Beelzemon warily. "I'm sorry, we got off on the wrong foot. Ignore Beelzemon, he's just got a bit of a temper. I'm his partner, Chiharu Miura."

"Mayu Midorikawa," the girl said, never taking her eyes off the Mega. "And keep him _away_ from me and Puttimon."

"I'll do my best," Chiharu told her. "But no promises."

"That's the best I'm going to get, isn't it?" Mayu asked, and the brunette nodded apologetically. She looked back at Nakayama.

"I can take her to the dorm, if you want," she offered.

"If it's okay with Mayu, then I don't see why not," he replied. The girl looked apprehensive, though.

Beelzemon clenched his fist, still clearly infuriated. "Screw this," he muttered, pushing past them, heading down a random hallway. As soon as he was gone, both Mayu and Puttimon visibly relaxed.

"He's not all bad, really," Chiharu tried to reassure her new teammate. "He just… well… I'll tell you later."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"And here it is, Dorm E," Chiharu told the new girl, opening the door to their building. "Girls' rooms are in the left corridor of the second floor, and only two are taken right now. You can go ahead and pick one, and I'll go get your uniform and stuff."

"Thanks," Mayu said, actually sounding somewhat sincere. "But why are you being so nice to me when your Digimon looks like he hates my guts?"

"It's not you, really," Chiharu said. "It's your Digimon. After I come back, if you leave him in your room, I can tell you then."

"Okay," she nodded, and headed up the stairs, while Chiharu exited the dorm to head back to the main building to receive the things for Mayu.

Hiroshi met her halfway there. "Hey, what's up with Beelzemon? I saw him go by a few minutes ago, and he looked _really_ ticked off. Did you guys get into a fight or something?"

"Not exactly," she informed him, still walking.

"Then what's got him so steamed?" Snimon asked curiously.

"Well…" the Digi-Destined bit her lip, not sure if she should say or not. After finally making a decision, she said, "We found our last Digi-Destined a little while ago. But that's not the main problem. The problem is her Digimon. Another Demon Lord's Egg reacted…" She trailed off.

Her friend and his Digimon looked at her for a few moments. "It was Lucemon, wasn't it?" Hiroshi finally asked, and his friend nodded. "So, we're screwed now, aren't we?"

"No, not yet," Chiharu answered. "Right now, he doesn't remember who he used to be, but… I've got this bad feeling that once he gets back to his original form, he'll remember everything, and we can only hope that he's gotten close enough to Mayu before then so he won't be a threat to us."

"Yep,' Snimon said. "We can only hope."

By then, they'd reached the lobby, where Hotaru handed Chiharu a bag with Mayu's stuff in it. The two humans and one Digimon headed back outside. Hiroshi and Snimon headed for Dorm C, while Chiharu headed back to Dorm E.

When she got inside, she saw Mayu waiting for her next to the stairs. "Took you long enough," the blonde said, taking the bag. Chiharu ignored what she said, getting ready to explain about Mayu's Digimon, now that he wasn't around.

"Do you know anything about the Seven Great Demon Lords?" Chiharu asked, and sighed when Mayu shook her head. "Basically, there used to be seven evil Digimon, each representing a Deadly Sin, that ruled over the Digital World. My Digimon, Beelzemon, was one, until he was turned into a Digi-Egg. So was Puttimon, back when he used to be their leader, Lucemon. Beelzemon's got a huge grudge against Lucemon because… the humans were coming to their lair, and Lucemon had had enough of Beelzemon, so he stuck him to a wall, so he couldn't escape. Lucemon and the others got away, but they left Beelzemon to die, and he hasn't forgotten that. He remembered who he was ever since he hatched, but it doesn't look like Lucemon—no, sorry, Puttimon, doesn't remember right now."

"So, you're saying that that cute, harmless little thing up there," Mayu started, pointing up the stairs, "used to be the ruler of all evil?"

Chiharu blinked. That was one way to put it. "Well, uh… yeah, I guess."

"But he's not anymore, so what's your Digimon getting all worked up about?" she continued rudely, going back up the stairs without another word. Chiharu decided then and there that she did _not_ like that girl.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"_That's_ the new girl?" Dai asked, his eyes locked on Mayu during dinner. He wore an expression of pure awe.

"Yeah, and she's a jerk," Chiharu muttered darkly. Beelzemon had finally calmed down enough to let himself be in the same room as Puttimon, but they were lucky that it was a big room, and they sat on pretty much opposite sides. Mayu hadn't even been to any classes yet, but her table was surrounded by boys desperate to make her notice them.

"She's not _that_ pretty," Asuka said softly, sounding self-conscious as Dai drooled over the new blonde. Chiharu finally made the connection, not understanding why she hadn't noticed it sooner: Asuka had a crush on Dai.

"Hey, Asuka? Want to go to the bathroom?" the Digi-Destined asked, her tone clearly saying 'we need to talk'. Her friend nodded, and they both stood, heading for the bathroom. "Dai?" the brunette called over her shoulder. "Do me a favor, and make sure Beelzemon doesn't maul anyone."

He didn't answer, but neither girl expected him to, so they made their way to the bathroom. As soon as they got there, Asuka leaned against the wall and slid to a sitting position.

"What's wrong?" Chiharu asked, wanting to make sure she was right.

Asuka sighed. "Dai and I have been best friends for as long as we can remember. Last year, I started to like him. You know, _like_." Chiharu nodded. "But he never noticed me, not like that. And now he's got his eye on some girl he barely knows…"

"Don't worry," Chiharu said, trying to cheer her friend up. "Once he _does_ know her better, he'll want as little to do with her as possible, trust me. She's a jerk." She briefly wondered what Hiroshi thought of Mayu, but quickly shook the thought off. Where had that come from? Then she realized it was a pointless thought anyway, because Hiroshi had skipped dinner, and had therefore not seen the blonde yet.

Asuka laughed a little. "I guess you're right," she replied.

"Aren't I always?" Chiharu joked, making her friend laugh more. Then she decided to be serious. "Why don't you just tell him how you feel, then?"

"I'm afraid of it ruining our friendship," she replied. "I've been waiting for any sort of sign that he might feel the same way."

"He'll have to be stupid not to," Chiharu said. "Now, come on, let's get back. I don't trust Beelzemon being left in a room too long with Lu—Puttimon."

"You're going to keep doing that, aren't you?" Asuka asked, standing up and dusting herself off.

She nodded. "Probably. I mean, it is _Lucemon_ he's mad at, so to me, it only makes sense."

"Very true."

The girls returned to the cafeteria, and were very surprised to see everything still in one piece. Chiharu laughed a little at the sight at their table.

Dai was trying to get up and go over to Mayu, but Beelzemon had a death grip on his arm, keeping him in his seat. It was kind of funny to see him try to escape, while the Demon Lord's arm wasn't even being moved an inch. "Shut up 'n sit down," he growled, forcing Dai fully down into his seat again, actually causing the boy to hiss in pain.

"You didn't have to do it so hard…" he muttered, rubbing his arm as soon as Beelzemon let go and the girls sat down.

They knew Beelzemon had most likely not let Dai go because he didn't want any of Chiharu's friends near Puttimon, but Asuka still mouthed 'Thanks' anyway, even though Beelzemon had no clue why.

Chiharu glanced back at Mayu with narrowed eyes. That girl was a total jerk, and Beelzemon would never agree to work with Lucemon, even _if_ the Demon Lord of Pride never got his memories back. She sighed. They were going to have a lot of trouble now, trying to work as a team.

**Next time:  
Hiroshi: There sure have been a lot of Gates opening lately…  
Snimon: Speak of the Devil…  
Beelzemon: I've been waitin' fer a fight!  
Mayu: There is something **_**seriously**_** wrong with you!  
Cupimon: He scares me…**

**This was, erm… interesting, to say the least. That scene where Lucemon or Puttimon as he is now, hatches has also been in my mind ever since I had the idea of putting Lucemon in here. I know things kind of seem a little… out of place near the end, but these are (I think) leading up to some pretty important plot points. Something that needs to be stressed: Mayu is that really annoying, really mean popular girl. Will she get better throughout the series? Who knows? And **_**I**_** have a few questions for **_**you**_** out there:  
1) I had a vague idea of what voice actors I would use if this were an actual season. Would you like me to add the list to the end of one of the other chapters?  
2) I've been wondering about having a specific cover for this story, but I can't draw very well. If you are interested in doing this for me (which I hope you are), please let me know, and tell me any and all characters you wish to put in it, so I can give you a good idea of what they look like, because I know I haven't given the best descriptions so far. The offer to give me one is open until further notice, it would just be necessary for you to have a fanfic account, so we can go back and forth (sorry Anonymous Reviewers). As a little 'prize', once the 'contest' is closed and I choose a winner, said winner will have the option of submitting their OC for a Season 2 that I plan to start as soon as this one is over. You'd just get 'second dibs' because I saved first for MitzvahRose, who gave me the idea for a Season 2 in the first place.  
Well, until next time~**


	11. Pulling Heartstrings

**Alright, so, we've only got one question for this chapter, but one is better than none!  
Question 1: Beelzemon, do you know if you'll ever get along with Lucemon and the other Demon Lords?  
Beelzemon: You're kidding, right?  
Chiharu: I think she's pretty serious.  
Beelzemon: HELL no! What are you, crazy?!  
Me: *snickers* That's what **_**you**_** think.  
Beelzemon: I do **_**not**_** like the sound of that.**

**Disclaimer: Only own the humans, plot, and the Academy itself. Are you happy yet?**

Chiharu sighed as she plopped down on her bed after class. There wasn't any Team Training today, because the teachers seemed to be solely focused on getting Puttimon to Digivolve. Nishimura had told them about the unknown threat approaching the Digital World, and the Digi-Destined needed to be ready. And to be ready, Mayu's Digimon needed to get to at least Rookie Level.

Beelzemon was still just as angry about the whole situation as he was when the other Demon Lord first hatched. There were even a few times where he lost it in class and stormed out, unable to be in the same room with his old leader without attacking him.

"If the world depends on us all working together," Chiharu muttered, "then we're screwed."

"What's that?" Beelzemon asked, leaning against the wall, as per usual.

She sighed again. "Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself, that's all."

"I ever tell ya yer weird?" the Demon Lord asked his partner.

The Digi-Destined shrugged. "A few times, I think."

"Good," he said with a nod, causing Chiharu to roll her eyes. When the two of them were really bored, they were stuck with conversations like these.

"So…" Chiharu said after about five minutes of silence. "You know you're going to have to work with Lucemon at some—"

"Shut up!" Beelzemon hissed, cutting her off. "I ain't talkin' about it."

"You can't avoid the issue forever," the goggle-head said with a shrug. She glanced at the clock. "Dinnertime. Let's go."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

When the two of them headed down to dinner, the first thing they noticed was the crowd around Mayu, consisting entirely of boys. To Chiharu's confusing relief, Hiroshi wasn't one of them. She and her partner sat down at their normal table, where Asuka, Lotosmon, Hiroshi, Snimon, and BlackSeraphimon sat.

"Where's Dai?" Chiharu asked, glancing around. Asuka's face darkened.

"Sore topic," Hiroshi muttered, and nodded his head to the crowd of love-struck boys. Chiharu saw Dai near the edge, trying to weasel his way through to the new girl. Her eyes narrowed. Was Dai really that blind to Asuka's feelings that he'd completely ignore them and become one of Asuka's admirers? The more she thought, the more she hoped so, because the alternative was that he _did_ realize, and just didn't care.

"How could he just…?" Asuka shook her head. "She's a jerk. I ran into her in the hallway earlier, and she started yelling at me…"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

_Asuka dashed through the halls, desperately trying to reach her class. She took a quick stop to the bathroom, and if she didn't make it around the corner and around the hall in the next sixty seconds, she was going to be late, and Shimizu was _not_ going to be pleased._

_As soon as she turned the corner, however, she smacked into a certain blonde. Hard._

"_Hey!" Mayu yelled angrily. "Watch where you're going, jerk!"_

"_Sorry," Asuka muttered, trying to duck past the other girl, but Mayu grabbed her arm. "What's your problem?" the Tamer asked. "I'm trying to get to class. I said I'm sorry!"_

"_Not good enough," Mayu said, glowering. The bell rang, making Asuka visibly wince. "We're not done," the newest Digi-Destined said, sauntering off to her own class._

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"She really said that?" Snimon asked.

"I knew she was bad," Chiharu muttered. "But I never thought she was _that_ bad."

"What do you expect from _his_ partner?" Beelzemon growled.

"Just drop it already," his partner told him. "We get it."

Asuka turned her gaze away from the crowd for a moment to look at Hiroshi. "So, why aren't you affected by her 'charms'?"

He laughed. "I had two older sisters back home, and both were a _lot_ like her. I know their type, and I hate it. Trust me when I say that I want nothing to do with her."

"That's good," Asuka said with a nod. "At least _some_ boys have some sense around here." She glanced at another table, where Hideaki sat in his normal location with Tsukiko. "Oh, hey, Kokawa's not interested, either."

Chiharu and Beelzemon laughed a little. "That's because he's had enough classes with her to come to his senses," Chiharu said, still giggling.

"Not that he was interested in the first place," Beelzemon added.

"That's good, at least," Hiroshi replied. "And I've seen Kono around the halls here and there, so I can tell he's a pretty good person, so he's not drawn in by that fake charm, either."

"Yeah, Satoru's a pretty good judge of character," Chiharu said with a nod.

Asuka's eyes had drifted back to Mayu's table, and Chiharu couldn't help keeping a close eye on the situation as well. She saw something that made her clench her fist in anger. She was so angry, in fact, that she was almost ready to let Beelzemon attack her and her Digimon as he pleased.

Mayu glanced up and met Asuka's gaze, and then smirked. She looked back at the crowd and gave a fake, warm smile. She gestured towards someone and then patted the seat next to her, and Dai, of all people, was the one to sit down. Mayu flashed a quick look behind her at the girls again and gave them an evil smile as she dared to hold on to Dai's arm, as though pleased by his presence. Asuka forced herself to look away.

"I… I have to go…" she whispered, running out of the cafeteria, Lotosmon close on her heels. Chiharu turned her furious gaze on her hateful teammate and started stalking towards her. The goggle-headed girl was never one for violence, but Mayu had gone too far and needed to be taught a lesson. Just as she neared the crowd, however, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Tsukiko looking down at her.

"She isn't worth it," the older girl said. "Let it go."

"But she's…"

"I think I get the picture," Tsukiko interrupted. "But you have to be patient, alright? I may have learned how to fight, but I still know that violence never solved any problems for anyone." She looked the younger girl in the eyes. "Hey, why don't you and your friends come sit with us for a while, huh? We haven't had the chance to talk much."

"Uh, sure," the brunette said, looking back at her remaining friend for confirmation. He nodded, and walked over, followed by Snimon and BlackSeraphimon.

"You're Harada's Digimon," Hideaki stated to BlackSeraphimon as the group sat down. "Why are you over here with us instead of with him?"

BlackSeraphimon sighed. "Dai has always been a bit flighty, which may be why he was so easily drawn in by Midorikawa's looks. I've tried talking with him about it, but he won't listen. I can't stand being around him when he's that love struck with a girl that only plans to use him."

"Smart Mon," BlackGabumon commented.

"So, what's it like to be a Tamer?" Tsukiko asked Hiroshi, resting her chin in her palm, elbow propped up on the table.

"Huh?"

"I mean, you don't have all that weight of responsibility on your shoulders," the eldest Digi-Destined elaborated. "You're learning how to work together with a Digimon because you want to, not because it's some sort of duty you were born for, or something like that."

Hiroshi blinked for a minute. "Wow," he said. "That makes me feel like I'm supposed to be really laid back compared to you guys." All three Digi-Destined at the table laughed. Hideaki poked his peas around.

"Answer the question."

"Well, it's pretty fun, and I guess there's no pressure," he started. "We don't work nearly as much on working as a team as you guys do."

"That might be because we don't have any guarantee as to who we'd be grouped with in a real attack," Snimon said, and BlackSeraphimon nodded.

"This is true. For us, it would all depend on who's where at the right time," he added.

Chiharu's eyes couldn't help but be drawn back to the other table yet again, this time because she was wondering if they'd ever be able to work on the same team. It was then that she noticed something: Puttimon had Digivolved.

Instead of being a little white ball with tiny gold wings, he had a full body, albeit smaller than a young child, and his eyes were a deep gold, with three black half circles on the outside parts lining his eyes. He still had gold wings, but they were a bit bigger. "Cupimon, In-Training Level. Attack: Angel Ring."

"What did you say?" Hideaki asked, glancing up from his food to look at the first Digi-Destined.

"Sorry, reading something," she replied, holding up her D-Agent that still showed the image of Lucemon's In-Training level.

"Oh, hey, he did it," Tsukiko said, not noticing the newly re-sparked hatred in Beelzemon's eyes.

"Whoopee," he growled sarcastically.

"Okay, we're in a severe need of a topic change," Snimon observed.

The humans thought for a moment, keeping a close eye on the Demon Lord to make sure he didn't do something stupid out of anger. Hiroshi finally spoke. "There sure have been a lot of Gates opening lately…"

And of course, as soon as those words were out of his mouth, the school rumbled, and every student was immediately on their feet. "Speak of the Devil…" Snimon muttered.

"What's going on here?!" Mayu yelled, looking around frantically.

"It's a Digital Gate," Dai explained, trying to calm the girl down. "They open sometimes, and Digimon pass through and attack us. But don't worry," he said with a smile, blissfully unaware that she actually couldn't care less about him, "I'll protect you."

The doors burst open, and in ran a swarm of Numemon.

"Oh, gross!" Mayu yelled, and Chiharu almost didn't want to get involved and let the girl have to fend for herself, but quickly dismissed the thought. She wasn't going to stoop down to her level, no matter what.

"Come on, Beelzemon," she said, grudgingly heading for the table. "Let's go."

"Do we have to?" he groaned. "They might kill 'im and make things easier fer us."

Chiharu looked over her shoulder, never slowing down. "But don't you want to prove that you're the strongest?" she asked, pulling at his weak points. "And things have been pretty dull lately, right?" They stopped in front of Mayu, Dai, and Cupimon.

The Demon Lord smirked. "Yer right," he said with a laugh. "I've been waitin' fer a fight!" He drew the Berenjena and started shooting left and right, all the while, grinning like a maniac.

"There is something _seriously_ wrong with you!" Mayu yelled, not daring to move, from either fear of being hit by a stray bullet, or attacked by a Numemon.

"That's what we've been telling him _way_ too often," Hiroshi said, approaching as well. He looked up at Beelzemon. "I know you don't like help, but you concentrate on the front, I'll take care of the back. It'll get done faster this way."

Beelzemon glanced down at the kid and shrugged, never missing a beat with his attacks. "Suit yerself," he said, turning back to his opponents. His grin only grew more and more with each Digimon he destroyed, making the new girl and her Digimon stare in fear.

"He scares me…" Cupimon squeaked out, causing Beelzemon to laugh.

"Come on," he taunted, even though the Digimon he knew was gone, at least temporarily. "Where's that famous pride of yours, huh?"

Chiharu quickly glanced around the cafeteria to see most of the students gone. Yuichi was leading his sister and her friend out the door unnoticed, and Tsukiko and Hideaki stood back to back, warning each other and their Digimon of oncoming attacks. They really did make a good team, maybe even rivaling Asuka and Dai… Chiharu sent a quick glare back at the girl who could very well have ruined that. She looked at the only other pair fighting the Numemon: Satoru and Lalamon, and they were being beaten pretty badly.

"Nume Sludge!" one called out, throwing the sludge at the two, but Lalamon dove in the way, protecting her partner.

"Lalamon!" Satoru yelled, kneeling down and holding his Digimon closely.

"I'm okay, Satoru," she said, rising weakly, trying to reassure her partner. A new energy flowed through her once the thought of not wanting to let her partner down, and she began to glow.

"Lalamon Digivolve to… Sunflowmon!"

"Sunflowmon," the awestruck Digi-Destined said, reading from his D-Agent. "Champion Level. Attacks: Sunshine Beam, Smiley Slap, and Cactus Tail." He smiled brightly. "Alright, let's do this!"

"You got it, Satoru!" she yelled, turning back to their attackers. "Sunshine Beam!" she called repeatedly, hitting her targets and eventually destroying them.

Chiharu watched with a smile, glad that yet another of their Digimon had made it to Champion Level. "Nume Sludge!" she heard behind her, so her instinct was to duck.

"Eww!" she heard, and both Chiharu and Beelzemon turned around to see Mayu covered in Digi Sludge. They laughed.

"Alright, Beelzemon, let's finish up here," she said, drawing her deck. "Digital Enhancement. Speed: Connect!"

"That's what I'm talkin' about!" he yelled, grinning as he raised his guns and fired faster than the eye could see.

When the battle was over, Mayu immediately left, Dai hot on her heels, making the students who had stayed behind to fight sigh.

"Not even a thanks," Satoru said, shaking his head.

"Well, did you expect any less?" BlackAgumon asked.

Chiharu looked around and winced as she took in the scenery. All the tables and chairs in the cafeteria were smashed to bits. "I guess we're eating in the courtyard again," she said.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Satoru smiled at Sunflowmon, who hadn't Degenerated yet, which probably meant that she preferred her Champion form to her Rookie one.

"That was interesting," he said once they were in his room back at the dorm.

"Yeah," Sunflowmon agreed. "I can't stand that girl, Mayu, though. If you ask me, she's the perfect partner for someone like Lucemon."

"What _was_ Lucemon like, anyway?" the human asked.

"Oh, you know, evil, ruthless, uncaring, the usual bad guy stuff. You're going to have to ask Beelzemon if you want specifics," she replied.

He chuckled. "Yeah, because _that _will go over well."

"I don't want to have to work with that girl, though," Sunflowmon complained. "She's such a jerk. You know that boy she was with? I think he's one of Chiharu's friends."

"I'm pretty sure you're right," Satoru said with a nod.

"Well, she's got this other friend, and I'm pretty sure she has a crush on him, so Mayu's just… she's just being cruel."

"How do you know that girl's got a crush on him?" Satoru asked with a raised eyebrow.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm female, I know these things."

"Uh-huh," he said with a laugh. "You just keep telling yourself that."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu and Beelzemon found Asuka crying in the bathroom, completely unaware that they'd just been attacked. "Are you okay?" Chiharu asked her friend, helping her up and leading her outside, where Beelzemon was waiting impatiently.

"I-I think so…" Asuka said, wiping away her tears. "Come on, let's… let's just go back to the dorm, okay?"

"Alright," the other girl agreed. "I can hang out with you in your dorm for a while, if you want."

"Thanks," Asuka said with a nod. "I'd really appreciate that."

When the girls arrived at Dorm A, they went straight up to Asuka's room. "How are you feeling?" Chiharu asked her friend.

"Betrayed," Asuka answered with a whisper. "I thought he was better than that… I can't believe he fell for her tricks… He's such an idiot…"

"Aw, come on," Beelzemon complained. "Don't tell me yer gonna start cryin' again…"

Chiharu turned to glare at her partner. "You. Out. Now." She pointed at the door, and didn't drop her arm until he left. "Sorry about him. He's—"

"I know," Asuka said with a tiny laugh. "He doesn't have a lot of tact."

"I wasn't aware he had any," Lotosmon chimed in, making the girls laugh. Chiharu spent the rest of the evening trying to keep Asuka's mind off the main problem, and for the most part, it worked.

"Alright," she finally said. "I have to go to my own dorm now. See you tomorrow!"

"Bye," Asuka told her as the other girl left the room. Beelzemon was waiting for her at the door.

"Took ya long enough," he muttered, earning himself an elbow in the gut.

"She's my friend," Chiharu reprimanded. "Of course I'm going to spend as much time as I can trying to cheer her up."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

When they arrived, they were just on their way up the stairs when the main doors opened, revealing Mayu and Dai. Chiharu glanced back just in time to see Mayu turn, and Dai gave her a quick kiss before leaving. As soon as the door closed, Chiharu was about to say something, but surprisingly, Beelzemon beat her to the punch.

"What the hell was that?" he asked.

"Exactly what it looked like," she replied with an overly confident smirk. She seemed to have forgotten her earlier fear of the Demon Lord of Gluttony.

"He's my friend," Chiharu told her. "And I don't appreciate you playing with my friend like he's just a toy. I know you're just using him to get back at Asuka for something so _small_ as being run into in the hallway."

"Oh, it's not just to get back at _her_," the blonde said with a laugh. "You hate seeing your friends upset, as I can clearly tell. This isn't about that other girl, this is about _you_."

"What?!" Chiharu yelled, beginning to shake with rage. "You mean you're playing with one of my friends and hurting another, just to get at me?! What's _wrong_ with you?"

"Your partner's a menace," Mayu stated. "And because he's _your_ partner, that means _you_ must be just as bad. I mean, he tried to kill poor, defenseless Puttimon when I first met him."

"But I stopped him!" Chiharu argued.

"An' I got a good reason fer wanting that bastard dead!" Beelzemon interjected.

Chiharu nodded. "He does have a point. Did you know that your Digimon left mine to die, once upon a time?"

"So?" Mayu asked with a sneer. "That was then and this is now. Plus, he doesn't even remember any of that, do you, Cupimon?"

The small Digimon by her feet shook his head. "Not a thing."

"See? The past," the blonde continued. "Just let bygones be bygones, already."

Chiharu could feel her veins pulsing in rage. "Why don't you do the same, and we'll call it even?" But she already knew the answer.

"I don't think so!" Mayu said with a laugh. "What, do you think I'm stupid or something?"

"If the shoe fits," Beelzemon said with a shrug.

"Oh, why don't you just can it?" she hissed at the Digimon before turning back to his human partner. "Now, move. You're in my way."

Chiharu stared at her for a long time before moving to the side of the staircase and taking a fake bow. "Of course, Your Highness," she said, causing Beelzemon to snicker.

"You are _so_ going to pay for that," Mayu yelled over her shoulder before disappearing into her room, Digimon in tow.

"Well, I've had enough excitement for one day," Chiharu said with a stretch, heading for her own room. "Let's go, Beelzemon."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The next day, Dai wasn't sitting with them for breakfast. Instead, he was too busy being Mayu's 'boyfriend'. Asuka didn't speak much, and there was an awkward silence at the table, seeing as how Hiroshi had most likely slept in or just skipped breakfast.

"I swear," Lotosmon said when they arrived, "I don't know how that boy survives, with how little he eats."

"It's just the way he is, I guess," Chiharu said with a shrug. "Some people don't need to eat much, while others," she nodded her head towards the Demon Lord of Gluttony himself, "eat like pigs."

"I can hear ya, ya know," he said between mouthfuls, which was a feat within itself.

"Yeah, I know," she replied with a smile. "I just don't care all that much."

A few more silent moments passed before Asuka spoke.

"Hey, I have kind of an important question for you," she said.

"Yeah?"

"Yesterday, when you showed up and saw that Hiroshi wasn't fawning over our new 'queen bee', you looked really relieved, and you've been hanging out with him a bit."

"So?" Chiharu asked, slightly nervous as to where this was going.

Asuka took a deep breath. "I'm going to feel _really_ stupid if I'm wrong about this, but… do you _like_ Hiroshi?"

Chiharu's face grew red, causing her Digimon to laugh. She elbowed him hard in a very painful place, making him let out a long string of curses, which everyone ignored. "I-I don't know," she said nervously. "Maybe… I mean, he's a nice guy, so I guess… I don't know, I've never been, you know, interested in anyone like that before."

"But you might?" Asuka pried, and Chiharu realized what she was trying to do. Asuka was most likely trying to focus on the possibility of Chiharu's love life so that she wouldn't have to worry about her own.

She nodded. "I might." But she figured it was more than a might. After all, what else would have her so flustered at just the thought, and so excited that he had no interest in Mayu whatsoever?

**Next time:  
Nakayama: Congratulations, everyone! To celebrate Halloween, we're having a Masquerade Ball this year! But, of course, to make things fun, it would be appreciated for all Champion and above Digimon to Degenerate to Rookie. That way, students can hide their identities until the Big Reveal, without having to worry about being recognized by their Digimon!  
Beelzemon: There's no way I'm going back to Rookie Level just for some silly little dance.  
Chiharu: Then just stay here for the night, because whether you like it or not, I'm going.  
?: Would you care to dance?  
Asuka: Everyone, look out! There's another Gate open in the Front Hall, and there's a huge Digimon heading this way!  
?: They could **_**not**_** have picked a worse time…**

**I am **_**so**_** sorry about this being so quick and probably fairly boring, but it's 8:30 on Wednesday night right now, and I wanted to make sure I got this up before the day was over. This, along with some of the next few episodes are basically just fillers, because I know exactly what level I want each Digi-Destined's to remain at, but they have to reach it first, and I'd like at least most of them to reach that level before the serious stuff starts. I was also hoping to show how much of a bitch Mayu is in this episode, so it kind of centered around how much she's trying to do to get at Chiharu here. Now, onto more cheerful stuff: I brought up the topic of posting a list of who I would have voice act the important characters if this ever became an anime, and a few of you have let me know that you want to see that list, so I'm going to show the name of the character, followed by the voice actor, and then followed by their other roles that you might know, or just one that shows specifically what voice they use (because some VAs are talented enough to make their voice sound very different in different seasons).**

**Chiharu – Colleen O'Shaughnessey (Adventure/02: Sora Takenouchi, Data Squad: Yoshi Fujieda)  
Beelzemon – Derek Stephen Prince (Tamers: Beelzemon)  
Mayu – Stephanie Sheh (Data Squad: Megumi Shirokawa)  
Lucemon (Rookie) – Mona Marshall (Adventure/02: Izzy Izumi)  
Lucemon (Chaos Mode) – Richard Epcar (Adventure/02: all incarnations of Myotismon, Data Squad – Merukimon)  
Satoru – Dave Wittenberg (Tamers: Henry Wong, Data Squad: Kouki)  
Lilamon – Dorothy Elisa-Fahn (Data Squad: Lilamon)  
Hideaki – Steve Staley (Frontier: Koji Minamoto, Tamers: Ryo Akiyama)  
BlackWarGreymon – Lex Lang (Adeventure/02: WarGreymon, Tamers: Cyberdramon)  
Tsukiko – Michelle Ruff (Frontier: Zoe Orimoto)  
ShadowWereGarurumon – Kirk Thornton (Adventure/02: WereGarurumon)  
Yuichi – Wendee Lee (Adventure: TK Takaishi)  
Wizardmon – Robert Axelrod (Adventure/02: Wizardmon)  
Nakayama – Sam Riegal (Data Squad: Kudamon) ( this is mostly for my friend Emily, because Nakayama happens to be her favorite character in this story, and Kudamon is her favorite Digimon, so I figured "it's a stretch, but I can see it working. Just think a happier tone")  
Dianamon – Edie Mirman (Adventure/02: Angewomon)  
Ikeda – Peggy O'Neal (Adventure 02: Jun Motomiya, only less annoying)  
Apollomon – Wally Wingert (Data Squad: BanchoLeomon)  
Shimizu – Barbara Goodson (Adventure/02: TK's mom)  
Renamon – Mari Devon (Tamers: Renamon)  
Aoki – Melissa Fahn (Tamers: Rika Nonaka, Data Squad: Kristy Damon)  
Phantomon – Dave Guerrie (Adventure: Phantomon)  
Nishimura – Steven Blum (Adventure 02: Flamedramon, Raidramon, Magnamon)  
Minervamon – Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Data Squad: Sarah Damon)  
Headmaster – Adam Bitterman (Data Squad: Franz Norstein)  
Dynasmon – Jamieson Price (Data Squad: Commander Richard Sampson)  
Shinji – Jeff Nimoy (Adventure/02: Young Gennai, Data Squad: Spencer Damon)  
LadyDevimon – Melodee Spevack (Adventure: LadyDevimon)  
Hotaru – Tifanie Christun (Adventure 02: Yolei Inoue, Tamers: Riley Otori)  
Datamon – Eddie Frierson (Adventure: Datamon)  
Kazue – Lara Jill Miller (Adventure/02: Kari Kamiya)  
Sorcerermon – Robert Axelrod (Adventure/02: Wizardmon)  
Reiko – Kari Wahlgren (Data Squad: Relena Norstein)  
Gazimon – Laura Summer (Adventure/02: Patamon)  
Asuka – Bridget Hoffman (Tamers: Jeri Katou)  
Lotosmon – Philece Sampler (Data Squad: Nanami)  
Dai – Doug Erholtz (Adventure 02: TK Takaishi)  
BlackSeraphimon – Dave Mallow (Adventure/02: Angemon)  
Hiroshi – Michael Reisz (Adventure/02: Matt Ishida)  
Snimon – Paul St. Peter (Adventure 02: Stingmon)**


	12. Tricks and Treats

**Question time again~  
Question 1: BlackSeraphimon, exactly how often does your Tamer fall head over heels for someone, and how is it he can't see the lie that he has fallen for?  
BlackSeraphimon: An interesting question. This would be the third time, actually, but only the second that I've witnessed. I've heard about the first from Asuka, because it happened when they were very little, and crushes were much more a childish thing. The second time, there was a girl similar to Mayu, but not nearly as bad, about two years ago. Luckily, she was forced to move away, and he quickly got over her. As for why he can't see the lie behind it… while he's had a fairly nice life, he's always had a fear that people will reject him, and that he'll be left alone. So, when someone 'takes an interest' in him, it's like he blocks out the lie, pretending that it's real, without realizing the lie he's subconsciously trying to protect himself from.  
Question 2: Can we expect other factions/groups of Digimon to make appearances?  
Me: Some of them, yes, but unfortunately, it will take a while for them to appear. In my occasionally mentioned Season 2, however, there will be more. (*cough*TheRoyalKnights*cough*)  
Question 3: Will Beelzemon get a certain mode of transportation that we all know and love?  
Me: Of course~ I'd have to be a complete nutcase to deprive us all of that~  
Question 4: Mayu, have you had a bad experience in life which is why you're acting like a rotten spoiled hussy or is that your real character?  
Mayu: That was completely uncalled for!  
Chiharu: Answer the question. I think we all want to hear this.  
Tsukiko: I found her file in the office.  
Beelzemon: What were ya doin' in the office?  
Tsukiko: None of your business. Let's see… Says here that "Mayu Midorikawa used to be such a sweet little girl, even though her family was rich. Yes, she was spoiled, but never acted like it. However, over time she started to change, and when I inquired about it, I found that her father got—  
Mayu: Stop that right now!  
Tsukiko: "—drunk every night and beat her mother, who—"  
Mayu: I said stop it!  
Me: Yes, okay, that's enough, sorry everyone (readers included) but this will all come to light in a much later episode. Hopefully, you can all be patient enough.  
The rest of the Digi-Destined and their Digimon: Awwwwwww….**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Digimon, but everything else in this story, I own, got it?**

Chiharu glanced over at the calendar on the wall. October 24th, about a week away from Halloween. She loved Halloween. It was always so fun for her, being able to spend the day as someone else. She frowned. Of course, being at Digimon Academy, there might not even be any sort of special celebration for it. And even if there was, it wasn't like she could get a costume for it, since she was a Digi-Destined, and therefore not allowed to leave school grounds. She knew it was for her protection, but it was a rule she really hated sometimes. She sighed.

"What's the matter now?" Beelzemon asked. It had been a few days since the little confrontation with Mayu, and Chiharu was mostly calmed down, so he knew that couldn't be it.

"I was just thinking, that's all," she replied simply.

"Don't hurt yerself," the Demon Lord advised, causing his partner to throw a pillow at him.

"Idiot," she muttered, but what he said did the trick. She found herself laughing a little. She wasn't really sure if it was his intention or not, but Beelzemon seemed to have this knack for making her feel at least a little better when she was feeling down. Could that be because of the partnership, so he did it subconsciously? Or was he actually making an effort to help her, like a friend?

She decided to stop trying to think about it, since it would only result in a headache. Unfortunately, her thoughts headed in another confusing direction: Hiroshi.

The question Asuka had asked her was still bothering her, mainly because she couldn't come up with a solid answer. Did she like him, or didn't she? It was a question she just couldn't seem to answer. She might like him, but she wasn't sure. For now, she'd do nothing with her possible feelings, and if it grew to something more, then it would at least answer her big question.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Nakayama smiled at the morning class in front of him, which included Chiharu, Hideaki, and Mayu. He clapped his hands twice to get their attention after the first bell rang. "Alright, I have some very exciting news." He cleared his throat before exclaiming, "Congratulations, everyone! To celebrate Halloween, we're having a Masquerade Ball this year! But, of course, to make things fun, it would be appreciated for all Champion and above Digimon to Degenerate to Rookie. That way, the students can hide their identities until the Big Reveal, without having to worry about being recognized by their Digimon!"

The class was full of excited chatter, but Hideaki and Chiharu shared a solemn glance. They saw Mayu getting all excited, but they knew something she didn't. They probably wouldn't be able to go, because they couldn't get costumes.

"Wanna tell her?" Chiharu asked him amidst the noise.

He shook his head. "I'm not telling her, _you_ tell her."

Chiharu thought for a moment. "Nah, let's let her figure it out for herself."

"That's mean," BlackAgumon pointed out, though not particularly bothered by the thought.

"So is tricking my best friend's crush into thinking she likes him," Chiharu muttered through gritted teeth. She hated that girl so much.

"Oh yeah," Hideaki said with a small nod. "I heard about that. Harada, right?"

"Yeah," the goggle-head confirmed. "She really needs to be knocked off her high horse. I mean, I saved her _and_ her Digimon from getting really up close and personal with the Berenjena when she first got here, and the thanks I get is her trying to get back at me!" she hissed. "I almost wish I'd let him have her…"

Hideaki raised an eyebrow. "You don't mean that," he said, and it was more statement than question. "We may not hang out much, but I think I know you well enough by now to know that."

Chiharu tried to protest, but then realized it was futile, because he was absolutely right. She _didn't_ mean it. She could be the worst girl in the world (in fact, she was very close), and Chiharu still wouldn't be able to stand by and watch her get hurt. "I hate being a defender of justice, sometimes," she muttered with a sigh, causing Hideaki and his partner to laugh.

"Is that what you're calling yourself these days?" BlackAgumon asked, and Chiharu smiled.

"Yeah, didn't you get the memo?" she joked. She was glad to see the boy next to her laughing, because he had been so quiet and reserved when they first met, and now, while he was still holding some things back, he was a little more open, or at least with the other Digi-Destined, excluding Mayu.

"I wonder what they're going to have us do while everyone else is at the dance…" Hideaki pondered.

Chiharu shrugged. "Probably train some more," she replied. She glanced back at her partner, who was away from the conversation, taking a nap against the wall.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"What?!" Chiharu yelled excitedly, causing most of the Digimon, as well as some of the humans, to cover their ears. "You mean we _actually_ get to go off campus?!"

Ikeda laughed at the girl's clear excitement. "That's right," she told the students. "We're going to take you to the mall so you can get your costumes. You each get a budget from the school, along with whatever you might have brought with you, so feel free to buy what feels right!"

"The only condition," Nakayama added, "was that two teachers, Ikeda-sensei and myself, go with you as chaperones."

Chiharu wore a bright smile. They actually got to leave campus!

"Do I get a costume, too?" Yuichi asked, knowing that this was mainly about the Masquerade Ball. Younger kids like him weren't allowed, so they were throwing a smaller Halloween party instead, in the Main Lounge. He wasn't sure if they'd let him get a costume while they were out looking for more sophisticated stuff.

"Of course you do!" Ikeda told him. "We'd have to be completely cruel not to let you."

Candlemon, BlackAgumon, Lalamon, and BlackGabumon all looked at each other uneasily. They knew that since it was a trip outside the Academy, they wouldn't be able to join their partners. And with Chiharu gone, and the rest of the Digimon stuck at Rookie Level, who was going to be there to stop Beelzemon from destroying Cupimon? They would be in for one heck of a day.

"So, when do we get to go?" Tsukiko asked.

"Tomorrow, right after classes are over," Nakayama replied. "Just meet us at the front gate."

They all nodded, excited for the next day's excursion.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

When they arrived at the entrance the next day after classes, the Digi-Destined kids saw their teachers standing by two cars.

"I'll be taking the girls," Ikeda said, smiling. "And Nakayama-sensei's taking the boys."

"That's right," the male teacher said. "So let's get to it!"

The students climbed into their respective vehicles, and the group was on their way. Chiharu was practically bouncing in her seat, much to Tsukiko's amusement and Mayu's annoyance.

"Am I right in guessing that you're excited?" Tsukiko joked.

"Oh, yeah!" Chiharu said with a grin. "I love Halloween!" She looked over at the older girl. "I was worried that, since we're Digi-Destined, we wouldn't be allowed to get costumes and go to the dance, so this is a big deal for me!"

"I'm glad you're happy about this," Ikeda told her with a smile. "It was Nakayama-sensei's idea."

The brunette smiled again. She looked out the window, watching the city go by. When they finally reached the mall, the three girls left the car, followed by their teacher. "Since I'm here as your chaperone," Ikeda said, "You'll have to go one at a time to get your costumes, so you can all stay together."

Mayu groaned at that, but darted toward the nearest costume shop so that she could be first. The other girls reluctantly followed her inside, having to deal with her trying on countless costumes. Chiharu would occasionally notice a costume that looked nice, but as soon as she started to examine something, Mayu would far enough away that Chiharu would have to follow, drawing her away from the costume that caught her eye. *I swear, she's doing this on purpose…" she muttered to Tsukiko, who didn't bother trying to tell her otherwise, because she knew it was probably true.

They were in the store for hours, and when they finally left, Tsukiko had enough decency to let Chiharu go next. The girl didn't take nearly as long, since she had already noticed nice costumes, so she went to try some of those on. She only took about a half-hour, and Tsukiko, who had been browsing the whole time, was done in five minutes.

They then went on the search for masks, which was a bit of an adventure.

Chiharu stared at the mask in front of her. It was so beautiful, and it would go wonderfully with her costume, but she didn't have enough money. She frowned, staring at her small handful of cash: about three dollars. She'd used it all on her amazing costume. But just as she was about to put it back, a hand stopped her. She looked up to see Tsukiko reaching into her pocket. She gave the younger girl her remaining money. "My costume wasn't that expensive," she said, "and I barely ever buy anything anyway, so it's yours." She smiled.

"Thanks!" Chiharu said, yet again having great respect for the older girl.

Tsukiko smiled. The reason she liked helping people out like this, especially her fellow Digi-Destined, was because she knew what it was like to have no one to support you, and wanted to show that she cared. And these other students she shared a dorm with… they were practically her family.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Both groups met back at the front of the mall, and headed back to the Academy. Once they reached the gates, Chiharu was the first one out of the vehicle, darting to the dorm and up to her room, not surprised at all to see that Beelzemon wasn't there. But of course, as soon as she realized that, she dropped her bag on her bed and started running.

"Have you seen Beelzemon?" she asked when she ran into Akihiro.

"Why do you want to know?" the boy asked warily. He still hadn't forgotten about when Chiharu got him and Katashi written up, and he'd seen what Impmon had managed to do to the other boy and his Digimon. Now that he was a Mega, there was a lot more damage he could do, leaving Akihiro more than a little afraid.

Chiharu sighed. "I'm worried that he might be doing something that could get him in major trouble," she said impatiently. "Now just tell me where he is."

"Last time I heard, he was in the Team Battling room again," he reported, turning around. "That's all I know." And with that, he left.

Chiharu pondered this information as she raced to the room in question. Had he kidnapped Cupimon, and taken him to the Team Battling room so that the sound of his attacks wouldn't be suspicious? Were the other Digimon trying to stop him? Was he trying to take them all on at once? Was he—?

But her fears were put to rest once she opened the door. She was in a forest clearing by a lake, and a little ways away, Beelzemon was engaged in yet another battle. She smiled. He did the smart thing and went to take his anger out on something else. Good for him. She sat on the ground and waited for Beelzemon to finish. She didn't have to wait long, though, because about two minutes later, the final enemy was destroyed, and the simulation faded away. Demon Lord and Digi-Destined looked at each other for a long moment.

"I'm proud of you," Chiharu finally said.

"Fer what?" he asked.

"Coming in here and getting your anger out instead of trying to kill Lucemon."

The Digimon rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. I had teachers breathin' down my neck from the second you left."

Chiharu laughed. Then, at a certain thought, her mood soured. "Come on," she said. "Let's go back to the dorm."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Once the door to Chiharu's room was closed, Beelzemon asked, "Alright, so what's up?"

"I can't stand Mayu," Chiharu said, annoyed.

"No, really?" Beelzemon said sarcastically. "I never would've guessed."

She ignored him. "When we were going costume shopping… First, she made sure she went first for picking out her costume, when she _knew_ how excited I was about this! Then, every time I looked at something while waiting for her, she'd move on, so I'd have to leave what I found, and I'm pretty sure she was doing it on purpose!"

"Well, duh," Beelzemon said. "You thought a shopping trip with Princess would go better?"

"Is that what you're calling her now?" the Digi-Destined girl asked with a raised eyebrow.

He shrugged. "She acts like a spoiled little princess, so why not?"

"Very, very good point," the brunette said with a laugh.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Asuka and Chiharu were sitting at their usual table for dinner, suspecting that Hiroshi had skipped again. In fact, it was almost time for them to leave when they heard him call, "Hey! Wait!" Both girls turned, and immediately smiled.

Instead of the blue uniform, Hiroshi was dressed in the purple uniform signifying that he'd graduated from C-Class to U-Class. "Sorry," he said. "I was busy getting my uniform, and then I had to move my stuff to Dorm B."

"Where's Snimon?" Chiharu asked. "Or… whatever his name is now?"

"Nah, he still stays as Snimon most of the time," Hiroshi said with a small laugh. "But he's probably bragging to any and every Digimon he can find right now."

"Wouldn't they have announced it, that someone graduated to the next class?" Chiharu asked, a little confused. "Or had a mini-ceremony?"

"I don't really like ceremonies like that, anyway," Hiroshi said. "And they'll tell everyone over the announcements, just like they do every time someone graduates."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The week came and went, and eventually, it was Halloween, and Chiharu sat in Digimon History with her other five classmates, waiting for the bell to ring. The longer she stared at the clock, the slower the hands seemed to be moving. As soon as the bell finally _did_ ring, she shot up, ready to head for the dorm to get changed, when Aoki's voice stopped her.

"Alright, I have a few final announcements about the dance," she said. "First and foremost, there will be _no violence_," she started, giving Beelzemon a pointed look. "Second, the boys will leave the dorm first. Once everyone who's going has arrived, a teacher will come to let the girls know that they can go."

"Why can't we just leave together?" Satoru asked.

"As some of the other teachers said, 'it's more fun when the students can't identify each other by dorm'. They're really into the mystery part of the whole thing." She waved a hand out the door. "Alright, you can leave now."

The students and their Digimon left hastily, excited to get ready. Well, most of them…

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"There's no way I'm going back to Rookie Level just for some silly dance," Beelzemon told his partner, his back turned to her as she changed into her costume.

"Then just stay here for the night," Chiharu told him, "because whether you like it or not, I'm going."

"Whatever," the Demon Lord muttered. "Can I turn around now?"

"Almost," the girl said, securing her mask. "Alright, go ahead."

Beelzemon turned around. "What are ya supposed ta be?" he asked.

She glared. "A fallen angel," she muttered. "Duh." She was wearing a short black dress. The sleeves had two straps each: one holding the dress up on each shoulder, the other falling just off the shoulders. The straps, as well as the bottom of the dress, were folded to make ruffles. She also wore black, fishnet stocking, black combat boots, and black, fingerless fishnet gloves. Attached to her back were two wire frames, holding wispy black fabric, giving the illusion of tattered wings, and she wore a black feathered halo, which she'd had to remove her signature goggles to get on. Her mask was black as well, lined with tiny white gems. Black feathers spread out from the edges, giving the mask, and its wearer, a very mysterious look about it. "So, how do I look?"

"Eh, not bad, I guess," he replied. Chiharu frowned, but said nothing else. That was probably the best she was going to get out of him.

She heard the boys leave, and waited for the okay to go, herself.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Mayu grinned at her reflection. She wore a simple French maid costume with lace bracelets, but it looked very good on her. She twirled, and Cupimon clapped.

"You look very nice!" he complimented her, making her beam.

"Thanks," she told her Digimon. She usually didn't like people, and only used them as tools to her advantage, but Cupimon was different. She could just tell, because they were fated to be partners, that he'd have her back, so she could rely on him. So when she thanked him, she meant in sincerely. "Now, for the final piece." She picked up her mask, black, with silver glitter forming swirls both above and below the eye holes. Tiny, silver fabric roses lined the edges, and some thick, transparent silver ribbon was tied to make a bow on one side, held in place by a larger flower. She put it on, and gazed at herself in the mirror. "I just know I'm going to outshine Miura," she whispered with another grin.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

BlackGabumon looked at his partner in awe. She looked very nice in her costume, and he was sure she'd be swarmed by boys wanting to dance with her.

Tsukiko had gotten a vampire costume, complete with fake fangs that she had to use dental putty to put in. She wore a white strapless top with a maroon vest over it, with black buttons. The skirt was black with swirling maroon designs around the bottom. She had a tiny, shoulder-length black cape with a collar, and a black choker with a red gem in the center. She wore black fishnet stocking and black high-heeled boots. She'd already put on her mask, which was silver and maroon, sporting a yin and yang design.

"Well?" Tsukiko asked, turning around. "Do I sound funny at all when I talk?"

BlackGabumon shook his head. "Nope, but the box said that you could still talk and eat normally."

"I wasn't sure if I put them in right or not," the girl explained. "I've never done it before."

"Well, you look awesome," BlackGabumon.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Yuichi was dropped off at the Lounge before the other boys left for the cafeteria, where the Masquerade Ball was being held. He was a Native American for Halloween, and he thought he looked very cool.

His eyes widened in delight at the sight of all the candy and cookies on the table. He knew better, however, than to grab one now. He had to wait, just like everyone else.

When Kazue and Reiko entered, they ran to join the young boy, making Yuichi notice that Kazue's DemiMeramon had Digivolved to Candlemon as well. Kazue had decided to come as a fairy, while Reiko decided to be an elf.

"Hi!" Kazue greeted her twin excitedly, hugging him and getting pink sparkles all over him.

"Hey!" he said, trying to wipe all the sparkles off. "Not funny!"

Reiko just sat there laughing.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"You didn't try very hard," Satoru observed, looking at Hideaki. He wore black jeans and sneakers. He had a hoodie that was black, but the sleeves, pockets, and hood had red and black patterns on them, and a pair of bat wings was attached to the back. His mask had four prongs upwards, and two down, around his face.

"Not really," the boy admitted. "Not really my thing. I don't usually get to get involving in Halloween much."

"That's a little sad," the older boy commented. He was wearing a gold and black checkered jester costume, complete with the hat. His gloves and shoes were white, and his mask was covered in white, black, and gold triangles. "I happen to really like Halloween."

"Hey," Lalamon said, pointing at the door. "I think the girls are here." And as soon as she said that, the doors opened, and the female students came spilling in.

Chiharu smiled, looking around. The cafeteria has been totally transformed. Most of the tables had been removed, and the remaining few were pushed to the sides, covered with Halloween-themed food. The lights were a bit dim, adding to the Halloween feel. And, of course, there were decorations everywhere. Jack-o-Lanterns were strewn about, at safe places to avoid getting knocked over. But what Chiharu noticed and liked the most were the bats. Some were just paper, hanging from the ceiling, but they'd gotten a few of those electronic bats that spin in circles. Also, she'd occasionally see a DemiDevimon flying somewhere, making Chiharu wonder if it was partnered with someone, or the staff had managed to borrow one from the Digital World.

The music started, and Chiharu quickly spotted Asuka, who was dressed as a pirate girl, with a black coat open over her short red dress. Her mask was red with white lace over the top. She wore a red bandana under her pirate hat, and was staring sadly in a certain direction. Chiharu walked over, following her gaze, and sighed. She could recognize most of the students there, with very few exceptions, so she could tell that the cop with the sunglasses was Dai. And, as expected, he looked like he was asking Mayu to dance, and she 'graciously' accepted. Of course, she sent a malicious smirk in Asuka and Chiharu's direction before she began dancing.

For a while, the girls were just talking, and Floramon, Lotosmon's Rookie form, joined in the conversation every once in a while. She kept a close eye on the other two, though. Eventually, Tsukaimon, BlackSeraphimon's Rookie form, came over.

"I'm really, really sorry about Dai," he said. "I don't know what he's doing…"

"It's not your fault, Tsukaimon, don't worry," Asuka told him with a small smile.

Chiharu gave her friend and Dai's Digimon a sad look, but a tap on her shoulder caused her to turn. There was a boy in front of her dressed as a ninja. His hood was up, covering his hair, but the fabric mask was down, and he wore a simple thief's mask instead. He was one of the few students that Chiharu couldn't recognize. "Would you care to dance?" he asked, holding a hand out to the girl.

She took his hand, and he whisked her to the dance floor. Thanks to the volume of the music, and the way the boy was speaking, she could hear what he said, but the sound of his voice itself was unclear, making Chiharu think he was doing it on purpose. Every once in a while, the Digi-Destined would glance back at the corner she'd been standing in, and eventually saw Asuka walking towards her and the boy.

"I just need to tell her one thing," she told the ninja, feeling bad about interrupting their dance. She looked at Chiharu. "I'll be in the Front Hall. I just need some fresh air."

Chiharu nodded. "Thanks for telling me," she said with a smile, and Asuka left, allowing Chiharu and the boy to get back to their dance.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Asuka took a deep breath as soon as she reached the Front Hall. She could feel her eyes watering, so she took her mask off and allowed the tears to fall.

"What's the matter?" Hotaru asked her, sitting at her desk as always. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," Asuka said softly. "I just needed some air…" She felt the ground shake, and looked up in horror to see a Gate appear. It slowly opened, and a pair of glowing red eyes stared out at her. She screamed and ran back to the cafeteria. She had to warn everyone.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The boy smiled softly at Chiharu as they danced. He seemed familiar somehow, like she could trust him. Which is why she didn't move when he leaned in to kiss her.

All movement stopped, however, when the door burst open, and Asuka yelled, "Everyone, look out! There's another Gate open in the Front Hall, and there's a huge Digimon heading this way!"

The boy groaned and let go of Chiharu. "They could _not_ have picked a worse time…" he muttered darkly.

"Incoming!" a Digimon near the door said, and everyone ran out of the way as the wall was broken through by a giant red dragon type Digimon.

"Megadramon," Chiharu read. "Ultimate Level. Attacks: Ultimate Slicer and Dark Side Attack." _Beelzemon_, she thought, _why'd you have to go and be a stubborn idiot and stay in the dorm_?

Megadramon raised one of its arms, and yelled: "Ultimate Slicer!" And, maybe it was because the Digimon could somehow sense that Chiharu was a Digi-Destined, or maybe it was just plain bad luck, but the attack was headed right in the brunette's direction.

"Chiharu!" the boy yelled, pushing her out of the way, just narrowly escaping harm, himself. The wind created by the attack, however, was so strong that it shredded through the hood of the boy's costume, revealing orange hair underneath. He stood angrily, removing his mask and pulling out a D-Power and a deck of cards. "That's going too far," Hiroshi said. "Dokunemon, let's go!"

A green, worm-like Digimon jumped to the boy's side. "You got it, Hiroshi!"

Hiroshi drew a card with what looked like a fast-forward symbol on it. "Digital Enhancement. Warp Digivolve: Connect!"

"Dokunemon Warp Digivolve to… Okuwamon!"

"Okuwamon, Ultimate Level. Attack: Double Scissor Claw," Hiroshi informed Chiharu, who was stunned. She was still trying to process the fact that Hiroshi had almost kissed her. He had also saved her life.

"Double Scissor Claw!" Okuwamon yelled, attacking.

Megadramon saw it coming, and countered. "Dark Side Attack!"

Okuwamon moved fast, making Megadramon try to follow his moves, so his attacks went in many directions. When one was heading in the direction of Mayu and Dai, the girl simply ran, leaving the boy to fend for himself. He ran from the oncoming attack, but the attack was traveling faster than he could run, so Asuka acted without thinking.

"Digital Enhancement. Double Warp Digivolve: Connect!"

"Floramon Double Warp Digivolve to… Lotosmon!" The purple plant type Digimon raised her staves. "Serpent Ruin!" she yelled, and a dark aura flowed out of the Caduceus, deflecting the attack while Lotosmon retrieved Dai and brought him back to the others.

"Double Scissor Claw!" Okuwamon called again, but, probably thanks to Megadramon's tough skin, they weren't doing much damage.

"Double Impact!" they all heard, followed by twin gunshots. Everyone turned to see a certain Demon Lord standing in the doorway. "What?" he asked. "Ya thought ya'd start the real party without me?" He fired repeatedly, but only did slightly more damage than the other attacks. "Damn," he muttered. "Its skin's too strong." Then he got an idea. "Hey, Chiharu!" he called to his partner. "Do the GigaSeadramon trick!"

"The what?" she whispered, and then remembered their training session, when they couldn't break through its armor. "Digital Enhancement. Big Bang Hammer! Digital Ability. Zudomon's Vulcan's Hammer: Connect!"

The data flowed from her D-Agent to Beelzemon's arm, forming the large hammer. As soon as it was completely solid, he hurled it at the machine-dragon Digimon. "Vulcan's Hammer!" And, as expected, the Digimon was finally defeated.

Now that all was said and done, and everything had calmed down, Hiroshi looked around awkwardly. His moment had been completely ruined, and now he just felt embarrassed. His face turned bright red as Chiharu walked over to him. He was pretty surprised when she kissed him. When she pulled away, she smiled and said, "We were interrupted before."

He smiled back. "Yeah… so… I, um… I like…"

"I know," she replied with a smile.

"How sweet," Beelzemon said sarcastically.

"Shut up!" Chiharu yelled, taking off her feathery halo at hurling it at her partner like a Frisbee.

**Next time:  
Shimizu: Each of you are going to have your own private training sessions, to get your Digimon to Digivolve as soon as possible. We don't think that attack by Megadramon was a coincidence.  
Chiharu: What about us? Beelzemon's already at Mega Level.  
Shimizu: The two of you are exempt from these training sessions. Instead, you'll be meeting with the Headmaster.  
Beelzemon: I don't like the sound of this.  
Dynasmon: Chiharu Miura. You've been at the Academy longer than any of the other Digi-Destined, even if it was only by a few days. You're also partnered with a Demon Lord, one of the strongest Digimon in existence.  
Headmaster: Which is exactly why, when the six of you work as a team, you will be their leader.**

**Alright, I really had fun writing this chapter (though looking up costumes to put everyone in was a pain). This was yet another "I've been wanting to write this forever" chapter. Anyway, I have a picture of Chiharu in her everyday clothes on my deviantart page, which should be easy enough to find, because I use the same username for everything. I also have a sketch dump that shows Hideaki and Nakayama-sensei. This is for a reference to those of you who are interested in my "Make-a-Cover Contest". Hideaki is on the left, and his hair is silver, and his eyes are a pale, light green.**

**So, things to remember, people: Please review, Ask questions, Cover contest is still open and anyone is welcome to enter, as long as they have an account here, and Everyone is free to use my characters in a story as long as they credit me. Until next week~**


	13. Follow the Leader

**More questions~ (I love answering these~)  
Question 1: So, wait, Digimon aren't allowed out of the school?  
Me: The Digimon **_**are**_** allowed to go off campus, but they usually avoid it. While people know about Digimon, they aren't used to seeing them on the streets, and some even consider Digimon dangerous. So, to avoid any and all conflict (that would mostly be caused by Digimon with bad tempers like Beelzemon) between the Academy and the outside world, it's kind of an unspoken rule that Digimon don't leave campus unless there's a special reason.  
Question 2: Beelzemon, how long do you think that Chiharu will be together with her new boyfriend?  
Beelzemon: Why the hell are you askin' **_**me**_**?  
Me: They ask, you answer, Bee. Those are the rules.  
Beelzemon: It'd better be for a while, cuz if he makes her cry, I swear I'll break every bone in his body, carve him ta shreds, and—  
Me: Alright, alright, we get your point, dude. It's nice to see you and Chiharu getting along so well, though~  
Beelzemon: She's my partner. What, ya thought I'd just let her be miserable or somethin'?  
Me: You would have, about eleven or so chapters ago.**

**Disclaimer: Do I really look like I own a series like Digimon? No? Didn't think so. And you all know by now what I **_**do**_** own.**

It was only two days after Halloween, and the school had already been rebuilt well enough for classes to resume. It had quickly spread throughout the school of Chiharu and Hiroshi's relationship. And so things were fairly back to normal.

It was a pleasant surprise for Chiharu, Asuka, BlackSeraphimon, and Lotosmon to see Dai sitting with them again at meals. Beelzemon really couldn't care less.

"So, uh, what changed your mind?" Asuka asked him.

Dai glanced back at the table Mayu was sitting for a brief second, but there was no longing in his eyes anymore. "She left me to die," he said with a shrug, trying to hide the hurt in his voice. "That kind of gave it away."

"It took ya long enough," Beelzemon muttered, shaking his head.

Chiharu nodded. "All it took was an attack from a really huge evil digital dragon," she said.

"Oh, is that all? I'll remember that for next time," Dai replied, causing them all to laugh.

Asuka turned to Chiharu. "So what about you? Where's your new boyfriend?" she teased.

The goggle-head felt herself blushing. Even though everyone knew, it was still embarrassing to be teased like she often was. "He's probably just skipping lunch again," she said. She shrugged. "No big deal." She looked at the clock. "Looks like we'd better get going pretty soon," she added. "Bell's going to ring—" the bell rang "—any second now."

The group laughed again as they stood. "See you later, Chiharu," Asuka called over her shoulder as she, Dai, and their Digimon headed off to their first afternoon class.

She smiled, glad to see things back to normal with them. She hated seeing Asuka as hurt as she'd been, so she was thankful to see the girl in high spirits again. When they arrived, Shimizu was writing some sort of chart on the board. "What's that?" she asked, pointing to the board.

"Wait for your fellow students to arrive," she started, "and you'll find out."

While waiting, she looked again. It looked kind of like a timetable of sorts. It had times, and corresponding with those times were the names of her fellow Digi-Destined. What confused her, though, was that her name wasn't on the chart at all, even though everyone else was listed at least twice.

As soon as everyone had arrived, Shimizu spoke again. "Each of you are going to have your own private training sessions, to get your Digimon to Digivolve as soon as possible. We don't think that attack by Megadramon was just a coincidence." Chiharu raised her hand. "Yes, Miura?"

"What about us?" she asked, referring to Beelzemon and herself. "Beelzemon's already at Mega Level."

"The two of you are exempt from these training sessions," the teacher answered. "Instead, you'll be meeting with the Headmaster."

"I don't like the sound of this," Beelzemon muttered. He was ignored.

"As for the rest of you," Shimizu continued. "This chart indicates when each of you will begin your lessons."

"Midorikawa and Cupimon, you should report here right after classes are over today," Renamon said. "You two need the most training right now."

Mayu and Cupimon were right after classes every day. Yuichi and Candlemon were scheduled for right after dinner, and Tsukiko and BlackGabumon had to train late at night, starting about a half hour before curfew usually started. Satoru had to get up early every other day, and Hideaki had to skip lunch every other day for their training. They all wondered what their training was going to be like, and Chiharu and Beelzemon couldn't help but think about what the Headmaster might have in store for them.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The brunette and the Demon Lord stood in front of the door to the Headmaster's office. They'd only been in here once before, and that was quite literally a matter of life and death for Beelzemon. They had no idea what was in store for them beyond those doors. Chiharu gulped as she knocked, and when she received the response, "Come in," she opened the door, hesitantly stepping inside. Beelzemon followed close behind, and the door closed behind them. The pair turned back to the door to see Dynasmon walking back to his position by the Headmaster's side.

"Are we in trouble?" Chiharu asked warily. "Whatever we did, we're really sorry, and it won't ever happen again."

A rare, amused smile crossed the Headmaster's face for a second before Dynasmon spoke. "Chiharu Miura," he started, ignoring the girl's words. "You've been at the Academy longer than any of the other Digi-Destined, even if it was only by a few days. You're also partnered with a Demon Lord, one of the strongest Digimon in existence."

"Which is exactly why, when the six of you work as a team, you will be their leader," the Headmaster informed them, causing Chiharu's jaw to drop.

"L-Leader…?" she asked, and the older man nodded.

"I was told about how you took control in your team training session. You have also protected the school time and time again from attacks from the Digital World. The two of you were also the ones who delivered the finishing blow to Megadramon in the attack on Halloween. You have more than earned it," the Headmaster assured her, leaving the new leader speechless. She couldn't believe it. Yes, she'd taken charge while they were training, but that was just because she was the first one to come up with a plan. It could have been anyone. And as for the Megadramon incident, that was all Beelzemon's doing, not hers. He was the one that remembered the trick that had won the battle.

"Y-Yes, Sir," was all she could say. "Thank you." She and her Digimon were dismissed, and she walked stiffly out, still trying to process the information. She suddenly felt the immense amount of stress that being a leader of any sort came with. If they were in a serious situation, and she gave the wrong orders, if someone was hurt—or worse—it would be all her fault.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Mayu and Cupimon returned to the Battle Theory room just as she was instructed right after the last class of the day. As soon as they got there, Shimizu led them to the gym.

"So, what are we doing for my training?" the blonde asked her teacher.

"Renamon and I are going to be your opponents," Shimizu informed her as the yellow fox Digimon phased into view behind her. "The object of your training is to make Cupimon Digivolve, so do everything in your power to ensure that he does." She took her place on the other side of the training area. "Are you ready?" she asked the girl, who nodded. "Then let the battle begin!"

"Angel Ring!" Cupimon yelled, trying to get in the first attack, but Renamon swiftly dodged, phasing in and out, making her untouchable.

She jumped up into the air and spread her arms. "Diamond Storm!" she yelled, and the glowing shards appeared under her arms before shooting in Cupimon's direction.

"Digital Enhancement," Mayu said, drawing a card. "Speed: Connect!" Cupimon made it out just in time before the diamonds embedding themselves in the mat.

"Angel Ring!" Cupimon yelled, trying again. But, yet again, Renamon avoided the attack.

Mayu sifted through her cards desperately, trying to find something that would work. "None of these are any good," she hissed, understanding that making an In-Training Level Digimon use even a Champion Level attack would be too much for the little guy. So all she could do was watch as Renamon batted her Digimon around like a plaything. "Digital Enhancement," she said, pulling out a card with a first aid box printed on it. "Recharge: Connect!" Glowing data flowed form the D-Agent to Cupimon, and all injuries disappeared.

"Diamond Storm!" Renamon called again, but with renewed energy, Cupimon was able to dodge. Their battle went on like this for another forty minutes before Shimizu stopped both of them. "It's time to take a break. You can go for today. We'll continue this tomorrow."

Mayu nodded, but clenched her fist around her Digivice. Was she a failure? Is that why Cupimon still hadn't Digivolved? She shook her head. No, she couldn't go thinking like that. She was past all of that now. She left the gym, carrying a very worn out Cupimon in her arms, heading back for the dorm.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Yuichi and Candlemon arrived in the Team Battling room, where they were told that they'd have their training. Ikeda was waiting, and smiled at the little boy and his Digimon. "Are you ready?" Ikeda asked. "This is going to be a little like when we had you and Satoru train together, only this time, you'll be alone. Are you okay with that?"

"Am I gonna be in the dark again?" he asked nervously.

Ikeda shook her head. "No, not this time." She walked over to the panel. "This is going to be a little harder than your other session, so if you want to stop the training, just say so, and I'll shut it down immediately."

"Okay," Yuichi said. Ikeda finished with the panel, and promptly left as the scenery changed. The youngest Digi-Destined and his partner were now in what looked like a post-apocalyptic city. He shivered. It was kind of creepy. He heard the sound of gears and dove into an alleyway, quickly followed by Candlemon. He pressed himself close to the wall and saw what looked like a pair of large gears with eyes passed by. He pulled out his D-Agent as soon as he deemed it safe. Hagurumon, Rookie Level. Attack: Cog Crusher. The projection changed after a moment, and the boy and his Digimon heard a set of heavy, mechanical footsteps. The projection showed a brown, metal Digimon. Guardromon, Champion Level. Attacks: Guardian Barrage, Warning Laser, and Red Alert. This must be their test.

"Guardian Barrage!" the Guardromon called out, and fired two small missiles, one from each arm. They hit the wall directly next to the alleyway. They'd been discovered.

"Time to fight!" Yuichi told his partner, getting out of the alley, followed closely by Candlemon. The two were constantly running to get away from their new attacker, Candlemon occasionally able to retaliate. "Digital Enhancement. Speed: Connect!" the boy yelled, swiping the card. Candlemon grabbed Yuichi's arm and pulled him along at his new speed, helping him to avoid the constant missiles heading their way.

"Things aren't looking so good," Candlemon finally told his partner, wearing down. The card's effect had worn off, and they were being boxed in by Guardromon and the two Hagurumon they'd seen earlier. _I have to protect Yuichi,_ the Digimon told himself. _I know this is just a training session, but her could really get hurt. And he seems so determined to get me to Digivolve… I need to do something!_

"Hey, Candlemon!" the Digi-Destined said. "You're glowing!"

He looked down. He was, indeed, glowing, and he felt a surge of power rush through him. "Candlemon Digivolve to… Wizardmon!"

"Huh?" the boy asked, looking down at his D-Agent. "Wizardmon? Uh, let's see… Champion Level. Attacks: Thunder Ball, Electro Squall, Magical Game, and Vision of Terror. Cool."

"Magical Game!" the Champion called out, and he seemed to vanish. The next thing anyone knew, he was behind Guardromon, with something in his hand. "Thunder Ball!"

"Cog Crusher!" both Hagurumon called out, causing Wizardmon to turn.

"Vision of Terror," he said calmly, raising his staff tipped with a sun. Both Hagurumon seemed to freeze, and then turned on each other. Wizardmon turned back to his Champion opponent. A small ball of electricity was gathering in his hand as two more missiles were fired at him. "Electro Squall." The electricity flew from his hand, growing larger. It destroyed the missiles, and quickly did the same to Guardromon. As soon as the machine Digimon was gone, the scene faded away, and Yuichi stood next to Wizardmon in the Team Battling room with a bright smile. They'd done it!

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Tsukiko walked into the Team Battling room with BlackGabumon, ready for her training session. She didn't mind that it was almost curfew, either. It always took her a long time to fall asleep, anyway. She was in her workout clothes when she arrived, but Ikeda didn't ask questions. She just set up the room and left after wishing the girl good luck.

The scene changed to show a volcanic region, and they were already facing their opponents: many Digimon made of flames, one of which was blue. "Alright," Tsukiko muttered, looking at the flame Digimon around her. "Let's see what we've got here… Meramon, Champion Level. Attacks: Fireball, Roaring Fire, Fire Fist, Magma Blast, and Fire Blast. Ouch. And that other guy's… BlueMeramon. Well, that's original. Ultimate Level. Attacks: Ice Phantom, Cold Flame, Vision Blinder, Ice Bomb, and Frost Knuckle." She sighed, and then looked back at the D-Agent before the image disappeared. "Wait… what's an ice-type Digimon doing near a volcano?" She shook her head, temporarily ignoring the fact. She wasn't here to question to program, she was here to train. Sifting through her deck, she noticed something that she was sure wasn't there before. It was an Enhancement card, but all it had was a plus sign. Reading the print that was on the plus, she grinned. "This will definitely help," she said. "Digital Enhancement. Digivolve: Connect!"

"BlackGabumon Digivolve to… BlackGarurumon!"

The oldest girl of the Digi-Destined smiled. "Alright, I think we're ready. Let's get to work, BlackGarurumon!"

"You got it!" he answered back. He turned back to their attackers. "Howling Blaster!" The attack was somewhat effective on the Meramon, freezing them in their tracks, but BlueMeramon, being an ice Digimon himself, remained unaffected.

"Crap," Tsukiko muttered, looking through her cards for a fire attack. "Here we go! Digital Ability. BlackWarGreymon's Terra Force: Connect!"

A large ball of flame formed in front of BlackGarurumon. "Terra Force!" he yelled, and the fireball flew forward at BlueMeramon. It seemed to damage the Ultimate a little, but it quickly recovered.

"Ice Bomb!" BlueMeramon attacked, hurling the frozen attack at Tsukiko's partner. All the other Meramon began to free themselves from their icy prisons, and attacked at once.

"Magma Blast!"

BlackGarurumon was hurled back, and Tsukiko ran to her partner. "BlackGarurumon! You okay?"

"Been… better…" the large beast said. Their computer generated opponents closed in on them, and Tsukiko stepped between them and her partner.

"I'm not going to let you hurt him, program or not," she said with a glare.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Ikeda looked at Apollomon, who was closer to the observation room control panel. "We should shut it down," she said. "Those two could get seriously hurt."

"Wait," Apollomon replied, holding a hand up. "Watch. Something's happening."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"BlackGarurumon Digivolve to… ShadowWereGarurumon!"

Tsukiko grinned at her Ultimate Level Digimon, then smirked at their unfortunate enemies. "ShadowWereGarurumon," she read. "Ultimate Level. Attacks: Shadow Claw and Full Moon Kick." Her smirk grew. "Prepare for some major butt kicking."

"Shadow Claw!" he yelled, hurling himself at the group of Meramon. Two were deleted after repeated attacks. Soon, only the BlueMeramon was left.

"Vision Blinder!" it yelled, and ShadowWereGarurumon blinked.

"This isn't good," he muttered, closing his eyes. Tsukiko could imagine what was wrong. Hard not to, when her Digimon had been hit with an attack called 'Vision Blinder'. The beast Digimon listened closely to his surroundings. He heard the ice cold flames that made up BlueMeramon's body behind him and struck. "Full Moon Kick!" He attacked with what Tsukiko could only describe as a reverse roundhouse kick, while turning to face the enemy. It had the desired effect: their final opponent was gone.

The volcano faded back to the classroom, and ShadowWereGarurumon opened his eyes, able to see again. He grinned. "We did it," he said, holding up a fist.

"Yeah," the girl replied, bumping his fist with her own, being careful of the spiked bronze knuckles. "We did."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Satoru and Sunflowmon were up bright and early for their training, wondering how it was going to go.

"I hope we do this right," Sunflowmon said.

"Me, too," her partner replied, yawing as they reached the Team Battling room. Ikeda wasn't there to greet them. Instead, a note was taped to the control panel:

_Sorry I'm not here to help you. There's an early teachers' meeting, so I can't be there. Set the level to Level 7, and put the setting at Random. The program will automatically shut down when you've defeated your enemies. If it's too much, press the red button._

And sure enough, there was a tiny box with a red button on it, clipped to the panel. Satoru unclipped it, holding on to it as he followed the instructions in the note. After the setting was finished, the pair found themselves in a large field of flowers, facing a humanoid flower Digimon. "Lillymon," Satoru read from his D-Agent. "Ultimate Level. Attacks: Flower Cannon and Flower Wreath." He looked at Sunflowmon. "This looks like it's going to be tough." He yawned again. _It's too early in the morning for this…_

"Sunshine Beam!" Sunflowmon attacked, and landed a direct hit, but Lillymon seemed to brush it off.

"Flower Cannon!" she yelled, and Sunflowmon just barely managed to dodge.

"Sunshine Beam!" This time, Lillymon was expecting it, and moved out of the way just in time. "She's fast!" she commented.

'Let's fix that, then," Satoru said, taking out his deck. "Digital Enhancement. Speed: Connect!" Sunflowmon was able to attack much faster now, as well as keep up with Lillymon's pace, but their battle still seemed to be getting nowhere.

"Flower Wreath!" their enemy called out, spinning circles above Sunflowmon, and a circle of flowers appeared, floated down around Sunflowmon, and shrunk to fit around her neck. "There's a good girl," Lillymon said, patting Sunflowmon's head. The Champion Digimon, under the control of the wreath, could do nothing to respond.

"Crap," Satoru muttered, realizing the situation. His finger found the red button, and he was about to press it when a strong wind blew the few cards he had in his hand out. "Oh, man! Really?" he ran forward and picked them up, staring for a moment at the card that hadn't been there before. "This will come in handy," he muttered. "Digital Enhancement. Digivolve: Connect!"

"Sunflowmon Digivolve to… Lilamon!"

"Lilamon, Ultimate Level. Attacks: Marvel Shot, Lila Shower, and Un Deux Pollen." Satoru smiled. "Go get her, Lilamon!"

"You got it!" she replied, turning back to Lillymon. The wreath around her neck fell away, and she raised her arms. "Marvel Shot!" Two balls of energy shot from her arms, landing a direct hit on her opponent, who vanished. The room faded back to normal, and both Digi-Destined and Digimon were grinning as they headed for breakfast.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu walked into the cafeteria alone. She'd had to stop at the bathroom, so Beelzemon had gone on ahead. As soon as she sat down, Hiroshi, who'd actually come to breakfast, put an arm around her, causing her to blush slightly.

"Congratulations!" Asuka said, and Dai and Hiroshi nodded.

"About what?" Chiharu asked, confused.

"We heard about your 'promotion'," Lotosmon explained.

"I wonder where you could have heard that," Chiharu muttered, turning her gaze towards Beelzemon. She wasn't one to show off, but her partner was another matter. "Beelzemon," she hissed. "Exactly how many people did you tell?"

"Don't worry, just these guys," he said with a laugh, clearly amused by his partner's frustration.

"Good," Chiharu said, relaxing. The last thing she needed was for Mayu to get on her case again, right when things had gone back to normal.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Hideaki's stomach growled as he and BlackAgumon headed for the Team Battling room. He didn't like that he had to skip lunch, but to advance, he'd do anything. He had to prove that he was just as good as the others. He'd already seen that Tsukiko, Yuichi, and Satoru's partners had all Digivolved. His only consolation was that Cupimon had yet to become a Rookie.

Ikeda set up his session, and then left for a lunch break. The boy and his Digimon were left in what looked like an icy mountain range. The first thing he did was swipe the card he'd found in his deck earlier that day. "Digital Enhancement. Digivolve: Connect!"

"BlackAgumon Digivolve to… DarkTyrannomon!"

The two were surrounded when a group of Frigimon shot up from the snow. "Frigimon, Champion Level. Attacks: Subzero Ice Punch, Icy Breath, and Snow Ball," Hideaki informed his partner.

"Got it," DarkTyrannomon said. "This is going to be too easy," he complained. "Fire Blast!"

And he was right. They were all taken out in only a few hits, with no benefit to the team. Hideaki was in a sour mood when they left.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

When the students got to their first afternoon class, they were given an announcement.

"Alright, everyone," Dianamon said, calling everyone's attention. Nakayama had, most likely, forgotten he had a class to teach again. "It's been discussed, and a leader for the Digi-Destined has been decided."

Chiharu dreaded the reaction everyone was going to have when they found out, and Beelzemon smirked. Mayu caught his smirk, but thought it was just from overconfidence.

_Tough luck for him_, she thought. _According to him, my partner's really Lucemon, the leader of the Demon Lords. So, that makes me leader, right? It's got to…_

"Your new leader," Dianamon said, "is Chiharu Miura."

The other students congratulated her, while Mayu glared, anger and hatred clear on her face. How could they do this? That role should belong to _her_!

"I kind of figured you'd be leader," Tsukiko told the goggle-head in question.

"You _were_ the first one here," Hideaki commented.

"And remember how good she was with taking charge in our training?" Satoru added.

Chiharu blushed. "Come on, stop it guys," she said. "You're embarrassing me…"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Mayu glared at anything and everything that met her eye for the rest of the day. She should have been leader, and despite what everyone else said, they all knew it. "Come on, Cupimon," she muttered as they returned to the Battle Theory room after class for their second training session. Like the day before, they were sent to the gym to battle against Nakayama this time.

The teacher smiled as Mayu walked in, but his face fell when he saw the foul mood she was in. "Something on your mind?" he asked.

"None of your business," she muttered darkly. She just knew that Nakayama had something to do with Chiharu being leader. He favored her. It was obvious, really. "Let's just start already."

"Alright," Nakayama said with a shrug, dropping the subject. Behind him, Dianamon glowed, Degenerating for their battle. Mayu took out her D-Agent to read her stats.

"Lunamon, Rookie Level. Attacks: Lunar Claw, Tear Shot, and Lop-Ear Ripple."

"Got it," Cupimon said, and attacked as soon as the battle started. "Angel Ring!"

Lunamon dodged, and attacked. "Lunar Claw!"

Cupimon flew backward, making Mayu bite her lip. _It's not fair_, she thought. _It's probably all because I can't get Cupimon to even Digivolve anymore._ But as soon as she thought that, it was almost as though that single thought triggered something, because Cupimon began to glow.

"Cupimon Digivolve to… Lucemon!"

The Digimon in front of her looked like a small blonde child with eight wings and markings on his body. "Lucemon," she read. "Rookie Level. Attacks: Grand Cross and Divine Feet. Lucemon, we did it!"

The child Digimon looked back at her and smiled before turning toward his opponent. "Grand Cross!" The attack hit Lunamon head on, causing her to be thrown backward. It took only a few more attacks before Nakayama called the session off. "That's good enough for now," he assured her. "You can go."

Mayu grinned as she left the room with Lucemon. They were one step closer to becoming the best.

**Next time:  
Beelzemon: I can't stand seein' his face every day and not being able to do a damn thing about it!  
Lilamon: But if you leave, who's going to stay and protect Chiharu once you're gone? You know that once he regains his memories, he'll target her to get to you.  
Lucemon: Ah, Beelzemon, it's been a while, hasn't it?  
Beelzemon: You bastard!  
Lucemon: Tsk, tsk. Temper, temper.  
**

**Well, now, things are starting to get interesting~ Also, I know a lot of you have been asking me when we'll be seeing Blast Mode. Well, the wait (for the answer) is finally over! I'm thinking either June 5****th**** or June 12****th****. I don't know **_**exactly**_** which of the two episodes it's going to fall in. So please, people, just hang in there a little longer! Now, remember all of you: Questions & Cover entries (I'm really looking forward to those. If you aren't an artist, and know someone who **_**is**_** that likes Digimon, **_**PLEASE**_** refer them to this story so I can get some good covers).**


	14. A Matter of Pride

**The lovely, lovely question corner~  
Question 1: Chiharu, how does it feel being the leader?  
Chiharu: Well, it's… a bit stressful, to be honest. We haven't been in any battles all together. I mean, yeah, there was the training, but that was really only me, Tsukiko, and Hideaki. I don't really think everyone's going to follow **_**me**_**.  
Question 2: Lucemon, have you regained your memories?  
Lucemon: Not quite yet, I—  
Me: For these questions, you need to. *snaps fingers* This'll be over once the real story begins, so make it count.  
Lucemon: Why, thanks you, Elisa. As you can tell, in the **_**story**_** at least, I haven't regained my memories yet, although in case you couldn't tell by the preview in the last episode, I will very soon.  
Question 3: Lucemon, will you ever make up with Beelzemon?  
Lucemon: It's all on him, really. If he's been holding a grudge for such a little thing—  
Beelzemon: **_**LITTLE?!**_** You left me to **_**die**_**!  
Lucemon: —then that isn't my problem. I am willing to put the past behind us.  
Me: Are you really?  
Question 4: Lucemon, have you any evil intentions?  
Lucemon: Well, that would spoil the plot, wouldn't it? But, I can't say that I do, as of now, anyway.  
Question 5: Lucemon, what would you do if I called your final form a big chicken who's so dumb, he takes orders from the worm inches away from him?  
Lucemon: *laughs* I assume you're talking about 'Shadowlord Mode'? In most fandoms, yes, it is my final form, but here, the Shadowlord is an extension of my power, not a form of mine. He was a creation of mine, when I split off a part of my power from myself to serve as a backup in case anything happened and my powers were depleted.  
Beelzemon: Lot of good that did ya.  
Lucemon: And just how was I supposed to—?  
Me: *snaps fingers*  
Lucemon: What's going on? What about the rest of the questions?**

**Disclaimer: Don't own the Digimon, but this specific series, as well as the human characters all belong to me.**

_The sky was growing dark, but it wasn't because the sun was going down. The oncoming evil was spreading, threatening the whole Digital World._

_The small Digimon ran from his pursuers, desperate to escape. He had no idea what they would do to them if they found him. So, of course, he tripped._

_Just as soon as he was about to face deletion, an attack of some sort hit the enemies, causing them to fall back. They weren't going to fight something that would fight back. The small Digimon stood up and dusted himself off. He glanced up to see the Digimon who saved him._

_He looked like a small, white angel, and he approached the Digimon he'd just saved._

"_Thanks," said the first Digimon._

"_Oh, no problem," the second replied. "I hate those guys, and I'm trying to stop them. I want to make the Digital World a better place. Want to help me?"_

"_You kidding? Of course I do! Anything to get back at those thugs! By the way, the name's Impmon."_

"_Lucemon," the angel Digimon said, holding a hand out. Impmon took it, and thus a partnership began._

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Beelzemon was very annoyed when he woke up. Why? Why did he have that dream? Maybe it was because Mayu's partner had Digivolved to Rookie Level, the first 'stage' of Lucemon. He was just one step away from becoming the bastard he used to be.

Chiharu rolled over in her sleep, mumbling nonsense like, "I told you, I don't have the peanut butter," and "get out of my dishwasher". The Demon Lord chuckled at the silliness that was his partner when she slept. He shook his head, but didn't dare go back to sleep. He didn't want to have any dreams like the one he'd just woken up from. He wanted to keep the past _in_ the past.

He started to wonder what could be up in the Digital World. It couldn't be as bad as before. _Nothing_ could be as bad as before. Maybe it was their old servants. After all, Ogudomon _had_ broken through to the school to attack, and said that the others were on his side. But if it was just the six Digi-Destined kids and their Digimon, Beelzemon didn't like those odds. Especially if Lucemon regained his memories. Then he'd probably turn on all of them, making the fight that much harder. Beelzemon could take the Fallen Angel in a fair fight easily, but that was the problem: Lucemon never fought fair. He'd use dirty tricks like the seal he'd placed on Beelzemon before the latter was captured and reconfigured, and he would refuse to fight one-on-one.

That made Beelzemon's blood boil. Lucemon was the Demon Lord of Pride, but he didn't mind using any and all means necessary to win. Contrary to popular belief, Beelzemon believed in a fair fight. It wouldn't be any fun that way. Destroying something that couldn't fight back didn't satisfy him like it did Lucemon. And he would just have to deal with these feelings of hatred, because he would never be allowed to get his revenge. Lucemon was his 'ally' for the time being. They would just have to wait to see what a mistake trusting Lucemon was.

He hadn't realized that his eyes had been closing, but they snapped open when he had a brilliant idea. He could kill two birds with one stone: find out what was wrong in the Digital World, and not have to deal with Lucemon for another minute. He glanced back at Chiharu to make sure that she was still sleeping. She was out like a rock. He cracked the door open and slid out, surprisingly silent for a Digimon who was usually so noisy.

_They gotta have some sorta Gate of their own, or somethin'_, he thought, making his way down the stairs. He was passing the couch in the lounge of the dorm when a lamp switched on. "Damn," he muttered, looking over to see who had caught him.

Lilamon sat on the back of the couch with her legs crossed. One wrist rested on her knee, while her other elbow rested on her hand to prop her head on. "Where are you going?" she asked, miraculously able to keep any accusation out of her voice.

"Out," he muttered in reply.

"We aren't allowed out of the dorm after lights out," the plant Digimon said, shaking her head. "So, what are you _really_ doing?"

"None of yer business," he growled, but that didn't deter Lilamon.

"You're trying to find a way back to the Digital World, aren't you?" she asked, and his silence gave her enough of an answer. "Does this have anything to do with Lucemon having Digivolved to Rookie?"

Beelzemon turned to face the Ultimate, glaring. "I can't stand seein' his face every day and not being able to do a damn thing about it!" he hissed.

Lilamon gave him a long, hard look before speaking again. "But if you leave," she pointed out, "who's going to stay and protect Chiharu once you're gone? You know that once he regains his memories, he'll target her to get to you."

That caused Beelzemon to freeze. What Lilamon said was one hundred percent true: his old leader would definitely use any means necessary to draw him out, and if he wasn't there, Chiharu wasn't safe. He'd hated being partnered with a human for a while, but the girl had slowly grown on him. "Fine, whatever…" he muttered.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu awoke from a very bizarre dream to find herself alone. A few months ago, that wouldn't have bothered her, but she'd grown accustomed to having Beelzemon leaning against her wall, fast asleep whenever she woke up. She panicked, unable to help it. She'd seen how angry Beelzemon had been the past few days, ever since Lucemon became a Rookie. What if he tried to act on his anger?

That thought had Chiharu throwing the covers off and bolting out the door, not caring that the door slammed back against the wall, potentially waking up her classmates and their Digimon. She ran, ready to stop at Mayu's door and put a stop to whatever Beelzemon had decided to do. But her attention was drawn to the faint light coming down from the lounge on the first floor. She made her way to the stairs and peeked over the railing to see Beelzemon talking to Lilamon. She raced down the stairs, not stopping until she was right in front of the Demon Lord. "Where were you going?" she asked, her voice laced with anger.

"Nowhere," he muttered, but Lilamon gave a more satisfying answer.

"He was going to leave, because he couldn't put up with having to see Lucemon every day," she told the human.

Chiharu glared up at her partner before raising her fist and punching him in the gut. It hurt her more than it did him, but it was worth it to see his look of surprise. "_Jerk_!" she yelled, running back up the stairs and slamming the door shut. She clutched a pillow close to her chest, burying her face in it. She was an only child, and her parents usually gave her enough attention that this wasn't a major problem, but Chiharu was always terrified of being left alone. She'd had friends in her old school, but none of them were close enough to be considered _real_ friends. Now that she had Beelzemon, who was her best friend whether he knew it or not, she was terrified to losing him.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Beelzemon stared after his partner in shock. It hadn't hurt when she hit him… at least, not physically. Had he really messed up that bad? He winced when he heard the door slam, a clear indication that he wasn't allowed back in.

Another door opened, and Tsukiko exited it, yawning. "What's going on?" she asked, stretching her arms. "It's three in the morning, where's the fire?"

"It's nothing," the Demon Lord of Gluttony growled, lying on the couch. "Go back ta bed."

The oldest girl in D-Class looked at him for a moment before shrugging and heading back down the hall to her own room. Beelzemon stared at the ceiling until his eyes finally drifted shut.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Beelzemon had hoped that Chiharu would be over it by the next morning, but to his dismay, she wasn't. In fact, she didn't even say a word to him.

"See?" Lilamon asked him as they were on their way out. "That's what you get for trying to leave." This left the rest of the Digi-Destined and Digimon, who hadn't witnessed their little fight the night before, very confused.

"Did you two get into a fight or something?" Satoru asked the Demon Lord. "I don't think I've ever seen Chiharu that angry before."

"That ain't yer business, or yer problem," he muttered in response.

"But it is," ShadowWereGarurumon told him. "Remember, Chiharu's our leader now, and you're her Digimon. A rift between you two causes this whole team to go out of whack."

Lilamon nodded. "Make up with her," she suggested. "Do something nice."

"Like?" Beelzemon asked. They knew he wasn't the best at the whole being nice thing, and even though he was Chiharu's Digimon, he never really had to cheer her up or anything before. The other Digimon began to think.

Wizardmon was the first to speak. "You could start with an apology," he advised. The other Digimon nodded in agreement.

"Fine, fine, I'll apologize," he muttered. The only question was how to do it, when she refused to speak to him or listen to a word he said.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Don't you think you're being a little hard on him?" Hiroshi asked Chiharu. "I mean, he _did_ end up staying, right?"

"Yeah," Chiharu muttered. "But that's not the problem. The problem is that he almost left… even the fact that he was thinking about it…" her feelings from when she first became a Digi-Destined flooded back to her. Did he not think she was good enough to be his partner? Did he think she was just a pathetic human, who he didn't mind hurting?

"You know how Beelzemon is," Asuka said, trying to cheer her friend up. "He makes snap decisions without thinking of the consequences."

"I guess," Chiharu answered, but was still unconvinced. The truth was, she had an unstable partner, and she knew it. No matter how many times she stood up for him, she knew he was a ticking time bomb… He was dangerous…

She was snapped out of her thoughts when she saw the Digimon in question approaching. Before anyone could say a word, she picked up her almost empty tray, dumped it, and headed for the bathroom, the one place she knew he couldn't follow her. But as soon as she opened the door, she regretted it.

"Trouble in paradise?" Mayu asked in a mocking tone. The leader's eyes narrowed.

"Why would that be any of your business?" she hissed. Chiharu was generally a pretty tolerant person, but Mayu Midorikawa really knew how to get under her skin.

"What, can't I be worried about my new leader?" the blonde asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.

The goggle-head's fists clenched as she took a few deep breaths. Mayu wanted her to be set off. She probably wanted to get the brunette in trouble, making her seem unfit to be leader. "Where's Lucemon?" she asked, and then once the words were out of her mouth, she realized how dire a situation the answer could mean. She'd initially wanted to imply that something might be wrong between the Fallen Angel Digimon and his jerk of a partner, but realized that the lack of his presence there meant that he could be directly in Beelzemon's line of fire.

For once, the two bitter enemies had the same thought, and dashed back to the cafeteria as fast as they could.

"Grand Cross!" they heard a familiar voice yell, followed by a crash and lots of screaming. When they reached the room, they saw that it was mostly cleared, and there was a hole in the wall mere inches away from Beelzemon, shaped oddly like a cross.

Beelzemon wore a grin that made the girls shiver. "I was tryin' ta play by the rules," he said, drawing his guns, "but I ain't the one that threw the first punch. Double Impact!"

Lucemon moved away just in time, but a bullet grazed one of his wings. He turned to glare at the Mega, full of a fury they'd never seen in the small Digimon before. "Grand Cross!" he yelled again, infuriated. Beelzemon moved out of the way quite easily, only adding to the Rookie's anger.

"Both of you, cut it out!" Chiharu finally yelled, stalking toward them both. "You two are teammates, and as teammates, you shouldn't be fighting!" She turned her gaze to Beelzemon. "How many times do I have to tell you not to attack him?!"

"I ain't the one that started it," he insisted. This was _really_ not helping with the whole 'making it up to her' thing.

She shook her head. "I don't care, I'm ending it. Let's go." And with that, she left the cafeteria, and was quickly followed by her Demon Lord partner.

_Damn,_ he thought, _that was close. I came this close ta bein' an Egg again_.

But the damage was already done. Mayu watched the other girl leave angrily. She wished looks could kill, because she and her Digimon were both a thorn in Mayu's side. The blonde clutched her D-Agent tightly. She'd taken it out in case Lucemon needed some sort of help in the battle, but he had been fine on his own.

Her anger, mixed with that of her Digimon, was enough to make the D-Agent react. The black and white device in her hand glowed slightly, as did her Rookie partner. When the light faded, a new Digimon stood in his place. The Digimon looked more like an adult, with ten wings. Five of them were white and feathered, while the other five were black and leathery, like a bat's. He donned black and white clothes, and had a miniature wing on each side of his head. A pair of sky blue eyes opened, filled with anger at a certain digital embodiment of Gluttony.

Lucemon, the Demon Lord of Pride, was back.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Beelzemon had been sent back to the dorm, having the full blame of the fight placed on him. He was under house arrest until further notice, so Chiharu felt weird, walking through the halls without her partner. Yes, she was still a bit mad at him, but after the incident at breakfast, she was starting to understand why he hated Lucemon so much. After all, to her understanding, Lucemon attacked without provocation, and didn't even remember their old grudges.

The brunette froze when she entered her first classroom. Mayu was there, being her usual, snobby self, but that wasn't what worried her. Standing next to her was a Digimon she hadn't seen before, but was still pretty sure she knew who it was. Just to be sure, though, she pulled out her D-Agent to take a look. Lucemon, Chaos Mode, Ultimate Level. Attacks: Grand Cross and Ultimate Sacrifice. "Beelzemon's not going to be happy," she muttered, sitting down.

"Looks like we're in trouble now," Dai whispered to her.

"You think?" Chiharu asked sarcastically. "I just know this isn't going to end well when we get back to the dorm tonight…"

Throughout the day, Mayu and Lucemon took every chance they could get to send her dirty looks, increasing her feeling of dread, until finally, the moment of truth came. She was the first one back to the dorm, hoping that she'd get there in time to warn Beelzemon before he found out on his own. She found him sitting on the couch, boredly channel surfing.

"Beelzemon, we've got trouble!" she said, running over.

"Yer finally talkin' to me again?" he asked. She ignored that.

"It's Lucemon," she said, trying to let him know, but she was running out of time. "He's—"

But she wasn't able to finish her sentence, because the front doors burst open, and the Digimon in question strolled in.

"Ah, Beelzemon," he said pleasantly, "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

The Demon Lord of Gluttony was already on his feet, charging his old leader with a raised fist. "You bastard!" he yelled, punching at Lucemon, who merely grabbed his fist as if it was nothing.

"Tsk, tsk. Temper, temper," he sighed. Beelzemon tried punching with his other hand, but Lucemon caught that one as well. "So hostile," he observed. "Aren't we supposed to be _teammates_ now?"

"Yer the one that started it this morning!" he responded angrily.

Lucemon smirked. "Yes, and thank you for fighting back. If you hadn't, I'd most likely still be a pathetic little Rookie with no memories of my past."

The biker-looking Digimon's eyes widened. "Ya mean…"

"Yes, _you_ were the one that helped me return," he said as his smirk grew. He finally let go of Beelzemon's fists, but the latter made no move to attack again. He knew that he was at a disadvantage. If they were caught by the teachers, he'd be the one to blame, because he had a track record of having a short temper. Lucemon and Mayu would say he attacked for no reason, and the teachers wouldn't believe Chiharu. They'd think she was just trying to cover for her partner. So all he could do was glare at his archenemy as he walked casually through the room as though he didn't have a care in the world.

"Maybe now they'll realize the _mistake_ they made, making _you_ leader," Mayu scoffed. "After all, I'm sure it was only because Lucemon hadn't Digivolved yet. But he was the leader of the Demon Lords, and since he's _my_ partner, that's means _I_ should be leader."

"Yes," Lucemon agreed, narrowing his eyes at Beelzemon. "I refuse to take orders from you _or_ your partner."

Beelzemon's hands itched to grab his guns and start shooting like there was no tomorrow. Insulting him was one thing, but insulting his partner was going too far. But he knew he had to behave, no matter how much he hated it. He'd find some way to get back at the Fallen Angel, though.

The other Digi-Destined and their partners arrived on the scene and immediately felt the tension in the air.

"Calm down, you two," Hideaki said, addressing the Demon Lords.

"I think I know a solution," Tsukiko said. "At least, a temporary one. I'll be right back." She darted back towards the main building.

Lucemon sent once final smirk in Beelzemon's direction before heading up the stairs, quickly followed by his human partner.

"Deep breaths, Beelzemon," Chiharu told him. "Deep breaths. Try to ignore him, he's _trying_ to set you off." _Now I know why those two are such perfect partners,_ she thought.

"Whatever," Beelzemon replied, sitting back down on the couch, going back to channel surfing. The only evidence of his anger was his tight grip on the remote. Chiharu sat down beside him, a silent sign that she'd forgiven him.

Moments later, Tsukiko returned with Nakayama. "I heard there's a little bit of trouble in here," he said.

"You tattled?" Beelzemon asked. "_That_ was your 'solution'?"

"Relax, it's not what you think," Tsukiko replied, rolling her eyes.

"She told me the truth about what happened during breakfast this morning," the teacher started. "I talked to the Headmaster, and your punishment's been lifted. But I heard there's still some conflict between the two of you, so here's the deal: both of you are going to the gym and fight each other until you've each calmed down. I'll be monitoring you, though, so that neither of you kill each other."

"Fine with me," Beelzemon said, standing.

"I'll go tell Mayu and Lucemon," Yuichi volunteered, already on his way up the stairs. Mere moments later, the two descended the staircase.

"I heard something about teaching Beelzemon his proper place?" Lucemon asked.

"I didn't put it like that!" the little boy insisted.

Nakayama sighed. "Follow me," he said, and led them to the gym. Once they arrived, each Digi-Destined took her proper place on either side of the battle mats, while their Digimon stood in front of them, glaring daggers at each other. "Battle… begin!" the teacher called, and all hell broke loose.

"Double Impact!" Beelzemon yelled, having already drawn the Berenjena. He fired repeatedly, refusing to let up.

"Grand Cross!" Lucemon countered, hitting Beelzemon square in the chest. The Demon Lord of Gluttony braced his feet, so he was only pushed back about a foot, but this filled him with a renewed lust for revenge.

"Double Impact!" he yelled again, taking a step closer with every shot. Once he figured he was close enough, he holstered his guns, pushed off the ground, and crossed his arms over his chest, palms facing outward. His claws began to glow, and he slashed at Lucemon once he was directly above him. This caused the Demon Lord of Pride to be brought to his knees. He landed gracefully on his feet, and in one swift movement, he turned around, drawing one of his guns and shoving it in Lucemon's face. "Game's over," he hissed, finger on the trigger. "I win."

"That's enough!" Nakayama yelled, and surprisingly, Beelzemon listened and put his gun away. He turned and started to walk away.

"Ultimate Sacrifice!" Lucemon yelled, attacking once more. Beelzemon dodged out of the way just in time to avoid getting trapped in, as he called it, 'the Square of Death'. It was the cube formed by Lucemon's attack, and anyone caught inside would either die instantly, or receive massive damage. Lucemon never used it unless it was a dire emergency, though, because it wore him out, hence the 'sacrifice' part of its name. He must have been extremely angry with Beelzemon to risk using that attack.

They all felt the school shake, and a Gate slowly rose from the ground.

"We're in trouble," Chiharu muttered, and Beelzemon drew his guns while Dianamon raised her weapon. Lucemon stood, and also prepared for whatever would find its way through. A pair of red, machine Digimon passed through the Gate. Chiharu lifted her D-Agent, but Mayu was already one step ahead.

"Chaosdramon, Mega Level. Attacks: Hyper Cannon, Destroy Harken, and Chaos Cannon."

Beelzemon grinned. "I was waitin' fer a _real_ fight," he said, drawing his guns yet again.

"Grand Cross!" Lucemon yelled, sending one of the Chaosdramon back.

"Double Impact!" Beelzemon attacked, grinning like the maniac that he was.

Both Chaosdramon, recognizing Beelzemon as the greater threat, moved in on him. "Hyper Cannon!" they yelled together, and Beelzemon braced for impact.

"Digital Enhancement," Chiharu started, pulling her desired card from her deck. "WarGreymon's Shield: Connect!"

The data flowed from the D-Agent to her Digimon, forming the shield that would protect the Demon Lord from oncoming attacks. "Thanks!" he called, firing at the Chaosdramon from behind the safety of the shield. The machine Digimon, realizing that they were getting nowhere with the stronger of the two Digimon, changed targets, instead heading for the weakened Lucemon.

The Digimon in question realized what they were doing, and though he wasn't completely recovered from his fight with Beelzemon, or his cheap shot with the Ultimate Sacrifice, he wouldn't go down without a fight.

"Chaos Cannon!" one yelled, firing at Lucemon. Mayu nervously fumbled with her deck, but her hands were shaking with fear, causing her to drop all of her cards. Lucemon wouldn't be getting much help from her any time soon.

The ex-leader of the Demon Lords moved out of the way, but the force of the blast brought him to the ground again. Just as he was about to stand, he saw his opponent directly in front of him and acted on instinct. "Ultimate Sacrifice!" The attack worked, instantly destroying Chaosdramon, but it made Lucemon fall back to the ground, too weak to move.

Beelzemon noticed movement behind the other Digimon. "Idiot," he muttered, dashing over. "Stay down!" he warned Lucemon, raising both arms, claws glowing yet again.

"Like I can do much else," he muttered.

Beelzemon charged the remaining Chaosdramon that had decided to attack Lucemon while he was too weak to fight back. Its cannons were powering up, but they were immediately shut off the instant Beelzemon made contact. "Darkness Claw!" Their remaining enemy vanished, and Beelzemon turned back to look down at the Digimon whose life he'd just saved.

"I hope you know that this changes nothing," Lucemon told him, finally able to pull himself up.

"Funny," Beelzemon replied. "I was just gonna say the same thing."

**Next time:  
Hideaki: Is there something I'm doing wrong? Why can't I get BlackAgumon to Digivolve further?  
Tsukiko: I'm sure you'll get it soon.  
Hideaki: Everyone, we have a huge problem!  
Satoru: What is it?  
Hideaki: BlackAgumon made it to Ultimate Level, and he's completely out of control!  
Chiharu: How are we supposed to stop him without destroying him…?  
Beelzemon: I got a plan.**

**Haha, I **_**loved**_** this chapter~ Like the irony, here? Beelzemon never wanted Lucemon to Digivolve and regain his memories, but **_**he **_**became the reason Lucemon is really 'back'. And, to clear a few things up, Beelzemon saved Lucemon's life because 1) remember, Nakayama was there, so he couldn't very well just let Lucemon die, and 2) he wanted to get at the Chaosdramon and defeat it, and so that entailed saving his enemy's life. Again, things to remember: Review & Cover Submissions~ 'Til next week~**


	15. Digivolution Gone Wrong

**Questions~  
1: Does every Digimon have a Burst Mode, and if so, what does it look like?  
Lotosmon: No, most of us actually don't. It takes a **_**lot**_** of skill to achieve Burst Mode, and no one's reached that level of skill since…  
BlackSeraphimon: Since Nakayama-sensei was in eleventh grade.  
Dianamon: This is true. Most of the teachers' Digimon have a Burst Mode of some kind, or… something else, that is even stronger.  
Snimon: What's the 'something else'?  
Dianamon: Confidential. Anyway, I **_**do**_** have a Burst Mode. As for the appearance… it will be posted on Elisa's deviantArt page, which should be easy enough to find, since she uses the same username as she does here.  
Apollomon: She'll be periodically posting them as she makes them.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own the Digimon. Own the Academy, plot, and human characters.**

Mayu lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling until her gaze finally fell toward Lucemon. It was the middle of the night, so it was had to see, but she could just make out his resting form on the bed against the opposite wall. Earlier that day, they'd had the chance to put Chiharu Miura and her partner, Beelzemon, in their place. And they blew it.

"Lucemon?" she finally asked, breaking the silence. Lucemon still wasn't fully recovered from his double use of Ultimate Sacrifice, but he should still be up for conversation.

"What is it?" the Demon Lord asked without turning.

"Beelzemon beat you," she said. "The two of you fought head on, and he beat you. Why? I thought you were supposed to be the leader…"

"It's true that I was the leader," he replied with a sigh. "But perhaps he has always been stronger than me. I just managed to have more cunning, while he relied on brute force, making him easy to manipulate in battle. It seems that being partnered with that human has wizened him up a bit."

Mayu shook her head. "That's a problem," she said. "We have to win… no matter what."

"I understand that," Lucemon assured her. "Believe me, I want nothing more than to return Beelzemon to the weak, defenseless state of an Egg."

The human smiled at the thought. Chiharu would be devastated to be separated from her partner like that. She looked back at her partner again. "How are you feeling, by the way?" she asked.

"Weak," Lucemon admitted, not used to opening up to anyone like this. But she was his partner, and as partners, they had each other's backs. He may have disliked having a human partner once he'd Digivolved, but it was nowhere near the hatred Beelzemon had initially felt for Chiharu. Perhaps it was because he'd already spent time bonding with her before his memories came back. Or perhaps it was because she was so similar to him. "I'll recover quickly though, so don't worry."

"Okay," Mayu said, not sure if she should believe him or not. "But if you're still weak the day after tomorrow, I'm taking you to the nurse. Deal?"

Lucemon chuckled a little. The girl barely ever showed that she cared for anyone (mainly because there was next to no one that she cared about), so to see her worry about him like this was slightly amusing. "Deal," he relented, and then quickly fell into a deep sleep.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Hideaki and BlackAgumon sat with Tsukiko and ShadowWereGarurumon as usual for breakfast, but there was something on the boy's mind.

"Alright, what's up?" Tsukiko finally asked.

"What makes you think something's up?" Hideaki asked, feigning ignorance.

The older student rolled her eyes. "You've been spacing out all morning. Now talk."

"Is there something I'm doing wrong?" he asked. "Why can't I get BlackAgumon to Digivolve further?"

"I'm sure you'll get it soon," the girl said, trying to reassure him. "Trust me. The moment just hasn't been right yet."

But both Digi-Destined and Digimon looked doubtful. "I hope so," BlackAgumon said. ShadowWereGarurumon sighed.

"Like Tsukiko said, the time just hasn't been right," he told the Rookie. "You'll know when it's time."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Hideaki's been looking pretty down lately," Chiharu observed.

"I wonder why…" Hiroshi muttered, and the humans pondered this.

"I have a theory," BlackSeraphimon said.

"Alright, let's hear it," Beelzemon said.

"Think about it. All the other Digi-Destined are advancing very quickly around him, but it's been a while since BlackAgumon Digivolved. He might be feeling a bit… worthless," BlackSeraphimon told them.

Chiharu stared. The Mega had a very good point. She'd felt similarly when she and Beelzemon hadn't started off on the best of terms. "I hope they get it soon," she said, trying to put the sad thoughts out of her mind.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

When she walked into her first class of the day, Chiharu was very, _very_ nervous. Even after their efforts in working together the day before, neither Demon Lord was any more civil to the other than they were before. Since they'd be forced to put up with each other's company, the leader was afraid of what the two might do. The last thing they needed was a fight in the middle of a classroom.

But she got lucky: the two ignored each other for the most part, calming her fears. The only time she really had to worry was in Science, where they had to sit next to each other. Chiharu tried to avoid speaking to Mayu, but this was one of the few classes that forced Beelzemon to actually sit at a desk, instead of take his usual place against the wall.

The Demon Lord of Gluttony leaned back in his chair, deliberately not looking in his adversary's direction. He was at least trying to make an effort, both for his own safety from the staff, and to not make his partner angry. They were close now, so he didn't like seeing her sad, or angry, or anything like that. The other Demon Lord, however, was not acting as maturely, for once. He glared at the other Digimon at every chance he got, and on the rare occasion that Beelzemon _did_ look back, he couldn't help but chuckle when he caught Lucemon sending him a death glare. _I feel like we switched roles here,_ he thought.

Mayu joined her partner in the 'glaring game', making Chiharu want to bang her head on the desk. Why was Mayu acting so immature? Was she _really_ this childish? They were told to retrieve textbooks for some class work, but Mayu clearly had no intention of moving. "Oh, no, don't get up or anything," she muttered, standing to get the books. Beelzemon glanced up, realizing that his partner was getting up, so he followed.

"Yer gonna need help," he told her.

"I'll be fine on my own, Beelzemon," she told him.

"You just wanna prove to Princess that yer better than her," Beelzemon guessed.

"I said, I'm fine," Chiharu insisted, grabbing all four books. She nearly fell over, and when she turned back to the desks, she found she couldn't see in front of her. "Uh, oops."

"Oh, for God's sake," Beelzemon muttered, grabbing the two books. "Heads up!" He threw one of the books at Lucemon, who caught it easily.

"Why, thank you," the Fallen Angel Digimon said sarcastically.

"Damn," Beelzemon growled, sitting down. He'd been hoping it'd hit Lucemon right in the head. Maybe it had been a bad idea to warn him… He sat down and boredly opened the book. It was a good distraction from the other Digimon, so he actually decided to read, for once.

Chiharu glanced over at her partner in surprise. Was he actually _reading_ the textbook? Her gaze flicked back to Lucemon, who was also beginning to read. They were both trying to ignore each other. She inwardly sighed with relief. At least she didn't have to worry about them fighting to the death for the moment.

It was finally time for lunch, and the goggle-head and her partner were the first ones out the door. They wanted to get to lunch quickly because they were both starving, but also wanted to avoid getting caught up in some sort of conflict. Chiharu walked over to Tsukiko, who sat with only her Digimon.

"Is Hideaki in his training session right now?" she asked the older girl.

"Yeah," she replied. "He was really down this morning, so I think he's trying harder. He's probably going to skip lunch every day until he makes some progress."

"Well," Chiharu said. "I hope for his sake that he does it soon."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Hideaki and BlackAgumon were already waiting in the Team Battling room when Ikeda arrived. "You're here early," she commented, going to set the panel. "I hope you make some progress today," she added with a smile, leaving the room. It faded into a quarry, very similar to when the whole group had tried to fight as a team.

"You ready?" the human asked his Digimon.

"Ready when you are," he answered.

Hideaki smiled. "Good, then let's go." No sooner than he said that, their enemies appeared. "Let's see what we've got here… Triceramon, Ultimate Level. Attacks: Tri-Horn Attack, Mega Dash, Tail Slap, and Knock Buster. There are three of them." He looked back at BlackAgumon. "Are you up for it?"

"Think so," the small black dinosaur replied.

The Digi-Destined pulled out a single card and swiped it through his D-Agent. "Digital-Enhancement. Digivolve: Connect!"

"BlackAgumon Digivolve to… DarkTyrannomon!"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Meanwhile, things were getting a little hectic in the cafeteria. The two Demon Lords had made the mistake of getting in too close proximity of each other, and quickly found themselves engaged in a shouting match.

"Whose bright idea was it to make _you_ leader back then, anyway?!" Beelzemon yelled, glaring at his adversary.

"It was a group consensus, considering that I _was_ the smartest of us all," he retorted.

"That ain't important!" Beelzemon shot back. "I'm still the strongest, I shoulda been leader!"

"You've gotten your wish, what more do you want?" Lucemon asked.

"Revenge," the Demon Lord of Gluttony responded with a growl.

Chiharu sighed. They may be the strongest Digimon alive, but they were fighting like children.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Tri-Horn Attack!" two of the Triceramon attacked.

"Digital Enhancement. Defense: Connect!"

DarkTyrannomon braced against the attack, taking much less damage thanks to the help of his partner. "Fire Blast!" he retaliated against his attackers, but being at a lower level, it didn't make much of a difference.

Hideaki, realizing that DarkTyrannomon's own attacks weren't doing much, decided to try a different tactic. "Digital Ability. Andromon's Lightning Blade: Connect!"

The data gathered as a glowing spike at the end of DarkTyrannomon's arm, building up power before it was released. "Lightning Blade!" Due to the attack originally belonging to an Ultimate, the two Triceramon hit were pushed back, but the third was just further enraged.

"Mega Dash!" it yelled, charging. It hit DarkTyrannomon head on.

"DarkTyrannomon!" Hideaki yelled, worried for his partner. "Where'd the off switch on this thing?" he muttered, beginning to panic. What if he couldn't stop the simulation in time and his partner was destroyed? He'd heard it mentioned repeatedly that once a Digimon was turned into an Egg, it didn't remember anything of its past life. He refused to let that happen. His D-Agent gave off a faint glow, which slowly grew brighter and brighter. "Huh…?" he muttered, not quite sure what was going on.

"DarkTyrannomon Digivolve to…"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Lucemon was charging up for an attack while one of Beelzemon's guns was in his face when the school began to shake. "Another Gate?" Beelzemon asked, their fight temporarily forgotten. "Already?"

"No," ShadowWereGarurumon replied, shaking his head. "This feels different somehow…"

Hideaki ran into the cafeteria, and all eyes were on him. He looked out of breath, and his face was as white as a sheet. He looked like he was panicking. "BlackAgumon made it Ultimate Level, and he's completely out of control!"

All of the other Digi-Destined looked at each other and nodded before heading for the Team Battling room. When they got there, they stood in shock for a moment. The walls were reduced to rubble, and the panel that controlled to simulations was trashed. The foundation was still shaking every time the Digimon in front of them moved.

It looked like the skeleton of a giant dinosaur, with some sort of missile lodged in its spine. "Is that…?" Mayu started.

"It has to be," Wizardmon said grimly. "SkullGreymon."

"SkullGreymon," Satoru read, sounding just as grim as the Digimon that had just spoken. "Ultimate Level. Attacks: Dark Shot, Double Dark Shot, and Curse Breath."

"Why's he acting like this?" Hideaki asked, wondering why his partner had gone from his best friend to a tool of destruction in an instant.

It was Lilamon who answered. "SkullGreymon is one of the most unstable Digimon in existence. It has to do with the history of the first SkullGreymon, I think, but I'm not sure how…"

"Traits like this eventually become a part of the data that makes a certain Digimon. The first SkullGreymon used to be a regular Digimon, only it liked fighting even more than Beelzemon," Wizardmon explained. "Fighting became its entire life, and eventually as its body began to decay, its thirst for a good fight kept it alive, but because it lost all intelligence, its instinct became its only drive." He caught the look on Hideaki's face. "But once he Degenerates, he'll be back to normal, I promise."

"Hopefully that will happen _before_ he tears the school apart," Lucemon muttered.

"Oh dear," they heard a voice say behind them, and turned to see Renamon and Shimizu.

"This is dangerous," Shimizu advised the students. "Get back, and leave this to the teachers."

"With all due respect, Sensei," Tsukiko spoke. "Isn't this what we're here for? To stop this kind of thing?"

Shimizu was about to reprimand the girl when she felt Renamon's paw on her shoulder. "It's alright," the fox Digimon said. "Leave this to the children. If it proves to be too much for them, then we will step in. But Takaki is right. This _is_ their duty as Digi-Destined." The teacher grudgingly agreed, and stepped back to 'observe' them as they fought.

"How are we supposed to stop him without destroying him…?" Chiharu asked, looking back at the Digimon that had once been their friend.

"I got a plan," Beelzemon assured the group before running straight into battle.

"Wait, what?!" the goggle-head yelled. "Hey, don't just say you've got a plan and not tell us!"

"Relax, you'll find out soon anyway," the Demon Lord told her, drawing his guns. "Double Impact!" he yelled, making sure to hit non-vital areas.

"Dark Shot!" SkullGreymon yelled, but he wasn't targeting the Digimon that attacked him. He was targeting the group of students instead.

"Marvel Shot!"

"Thunder Ball!"

"Grand Cross!"

The attacks fired from the Digimon with the children managed to break up most of the missile, while diverting the rest, keeping the Digi-Destined kids safe.

"That was a little too close," Tsukiko muttered. She glanced at the group, and noticed Hideaki frozen with fear. The boy's eyes were wide with fright, and he was actually trembling. Of course, it was hard for him _not_ to be scared. His Digimon had gone off the deep end, after all.

Yuichi, the poor little boy, was in tears. Despite his brave face that he wore often, the job of being Digi-Destined was a little too much for him, but unfortunately, it was something that had to be done. Wizardmon was rubbing his back soothingly, trying to calm his partner.

"Beelzemon," Chiharu muttered. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

The Digimon in question was currently still firing at the Skeleton Digimon, finally drawing his attention. "Hey, Renamon!" he called, causing the teacher's Digimon to look up.

"Hm?"

"Mind distractin' him for a minute for me?" he yelled over his shoulder.

Renamon looked back at her partner, who nodded. "Digital Enhancement. Warp Digivolve: Connect!"

"Renamon Warp Digivolve to…Taomon!"

"Dark Shot!" SkullGreymon attacked the new Digimon, who dodged his attack with ease.

"Oh, is that the best you've got?" Taomon taunted as she dodged every swipe and missile launch, surprising everyone. During the distraction, Beelzemon headed back toward the group.

"Alright, what's this plan of yours?" Chiharu demanded.

"Lucemon's gotta use Ultimate Sacrifice."

"Are you nuts?" Lucemon asked. "That attack has a fifty percent chance of killing him!" Not that he would have minded one way or another, but they were under observation of a teacher, so he couldn't really kill a fellow classmate.

"Hold on, I wasn't done yet," Beelzemon hissed, annoyed. "The rest of us will keep him distracted, while Lucemon goes around behind him." He looked at the other Demon Lord. "Ya gotta be really careful, though. Don't try ta get his whole body, just his back. Ultimate Sacrifice only attacks what's in the cube, right?"

"That's correct," he confirmed.

"So if SkullGreymon ain't completely in the cube, then not all of his data will be deleted. It'll get rid of enough extra data that should at least bring him back to being DarkTyrannomon, right?" The group, excluding Hideaki, who was still in his own terrified bubble, stared at him. "What?"

"That idea is so completely and utterly insane," Lucemon started, not wanting to admit it, but knowing that he had to, "that it just might work."

The five remaining Digimon went into battle, ready to execute Beelzemon's surprisingly brilliant plan. "Thunder Ball!" Wizardmon attacked his back, aiming at the base of the missile.

"Full Moon Kick!" ShadowWereGarurumon targeted his legs, while Lilamon went for his arms.

"Lila Shower!"

Beelzemon headed for the top, jumping from bone to bone in SkullGreymon's blind spots. He saw the large skull turn behind him, catching a glimpse of Lucemon approaching. "Double Impact!" Beelzemon yelled, pushing off from where he was, managing to shoot SkullGreymon square in the face. "Lucemon, _now_!" All the other Digimon drew back at Lucemon did his part.

"Ultimate Sacrifice!" he yelled, and just as was planned, the cube covered the majority of SkullGreymon's spine, and well as one of his arms and part of his head. There was a flash of light, and when it faded, BlackAgumon lay in the middle of the floor, unconscious.

"He needs medical attention," Renamon said.

"Kokawa, why don't you—? Kokawa?" Shimizu asked, walking over. She was going to suggest that he take his partner to the nurse for some medical care, but the boy was rooted to the spot.

"I… I can't…" he whispered. He bolted without looking back.

"Poor kid," Tsukiko said with a sigh.

Satoru nodded. "Yeah. I don't know what _I'd_ do if Lilamon Digivolved and went nuts."

"Hopefully, he only needs time," Renamon said, watching the boy's retreating form. She looked back at the unconscious Digimon. "I will take him to the nurse." She picked him up and disappeared into the shadows.

"That was scary," Mayu said, glad that it was over with.

"You thought _you_ were scared?" ShadowWereGarurumon asked. "Think about how he felt."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Hideaki entered his room and locked the door. He curled up on the bed, still shaking slightly. He'd only wanted to get stronger… he only wanted to become better, so that hopefully, his parents would notice him, and accept him. He never expected his best friend to be corrupted like that. Was it his fault? He'd heard Wizardmon talk about how it had to do with the first SkullGreymon, but he also knew that DarkTyrannomon didn't _have_ to become the out of control Digimon that he did. Before he'd been enrolled, back when he was looking up stuff about Digimon online, he'd read that there are different branches of Digivolution. Each Digimon had multiple forms they had the possibility of becoming. Kazue and Yuichi's Digimon, for example. They both started out as Candlemon, but Yuichi's partner became Wizardmon. That didn't necessarily mean that Kazue's was going to be the same.

Hideaki was afraid of trying to get stronger now. If he made one more mistake, they might have no choice but to delete BlackAgumon. And what if he managed to Digivolve to Mega, and got even worse? He shook his head. No, he couldn't let that happen. He would just have to stop fighting.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The next day, Hideaki didn't show up for breakfast.

"I wonder if he's okay," Hiroshi said when the topic came up.

"Well, yesterday… BlackAgumon Digivolved to SkullGreymon and started wrecking the place," Chiharu started.

"He attacked us, and it freaked the kid out. BlackAgumon's still in the nurse's office," Beelzemon finished.

"Oh, my God," Asuka said. "That must have been terrifying."

"Yep," Chiharu said. "But Beelzemon got us out of a bind. He actually had a good plan."

Her three friends and their Digimon mock-gasped.

"Beelzemon? With a plan?" Lotosmon asked. "What alternate universe have I woken up in?"

"Oh, ha, ha," Beelzemon said sarcastically. "Yer _so_ funny."

"So, what are you guys going to do now?" Dai asked Chiharu.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, now there's only five of you that will be able to fight, at least for a while," Dai explained. "So what are you going to do if you can't fight as a full team?"

Chiharu didn't have an answer to that. It wasn't like she could _force_ the boy to fight, and even if she could, she wouldn't. "We can only hope, I guess," she answered honestly.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Hey, kid, it's me," Tsukiko said, knocking on the locked door.

"Shouldn't you be at breakfast?" came the muffled reply.

"Thought I'd check on you first," the girl answered. "ShadowWereGarurumon went on ahead without me. I know you've gotta be scared right now, but at least come out of there and get something to eat."

"What if something like that happens again?" Hideaki asked, ignoring her suggestion. "What do I do then?"

"For now, let's just hope it doesn't. And if it does, we'll think about it then," Tsukiko said, trying to reassure the boy.

"I just don't know what I'm supposed to think," he confessed. "I'm… I hate this but… I think I'm a little afraid of my partner right now."

"It wasn't his fault," Tsukiko told him. "He didn't mean to attack us, he wasn't in control of himself. Look, right now, he's in the nurse's office, trying to recover. He hasn't woken up yet. Even though it wasn't a direct hit, Ultimate Sacrifice did a bit more than we expected. I suggest you go see him sometime soon." She sighed when she didn't receive a reply. "Well, think on that, at least. I'm heading down for breakfast."

As soon as he heard the front doors close, Hideaki stood up. His friend was right. He had to go see BlackAgumon… because if he waited any longer, it might be too late.

When he arrived at the nurse's office, no one else was there, so he simply took a seat next to his sleeping partner's bed. "I'm sorry, buddy," he whispered. "I didn't mean to make you Digivolve like that, and… I didn't mean to be afraid of you. It's just that… you weren't you anymore, and I thought I just lost my best friend."

"You don't have to apologize," a voice said quietly, and Hideaki looked up to see BlackAgumon opening his eyes. "It's okay."

"But thanks to me, you Digivolved into a monster, and had to be brought down," Hideaki argued. "It's my fault."

"Who cares whose fault it is?" the little dinosaur asked. "I don't blame you, so you shouldn't, either. We're a team, right?"

The boy smiled a little. "Yeah," he said. "We're a team."

**Next time:  
Beelzemon: Wait. You're sayin' a **_**Deva**_** broke through?  
Wizardmon: Two of them, actually.  
Makuramon: Lord Lucemon! How wonderful to finally see you again!  
Kumbhiramon: Return with us to the Digital World, so that you can become our ruler once more!  
Lucemon: My place is here now.  
Makuramon: You're partnered with a human? Pity.  
Headmaster: Now that the Devas have broken through, we know that there is someone in the Digital World pulling the strings behind these attacks. We have no choice but to send you to the Digital World to get rid of the root of the problem.  
Beelzemon: Ya mean, we're goin' back?**

**Whew! This chapter's finally over with! It's not that I didn't like writing it, but I wasn't as into this chapter as I have been with the others, so I could only do bits and pieces. I was kind of afraid it wasn't going to get done in time, but I pulled through. It got a little sadder than I anticipated near the end, but that's fine with me. I still like the way it turned out. Alright, anyway: Reviews and Covers, please~ See you next week~**


	16. The Real Adventure Begins

**Disclaimer: You all understand what this **_**means**_**, right?**

Hideaki still wasn't completely recovered from what had happened. He refused to battle, and the teachers decided to give him a temporary excuse from the classes where it would be required.

D-Class was in the afternoon gym class, so Hideaki and BlackAgumon were sitting on the benches, watching Lilamon and ShadowWereGarurumon go at it.

"Marvel Shot!" the plant Digimon yelled.

ShadowWereGarurumon dodged out of the way just in time, spinning to avoid it, and in the process, firing an attack of his own. "Full Moon Kick!" The attack caught Lilamon in the side, throwing her backwards.

"Oh, it's on now!" she said, smiling as she pulled herself back up. She found training with the others fun, because they didn't have to worry about being put in any sort of life or death situation. It was like a friendly sparring match. "Un Deux Pollen!" She began the dance that triggered her attack.

ShadowWereGarurumon swayed a bit, clearly dizzy from the pollen that was spreading, but he shook his head, overcoming it. "Nice try," he said with a laugh. "But not good enough. Shadow Claw!"

Lilamon managed to dodge this attack quite easily, twirling as though she were still dancing. "Marvel Shot!" ShadowWereGarurumon was blown back off his feet, and before he could get up, the bell rang. "Looks like I win!" she said with a smile as she reached down an arm to help him up. He grabbed it and stood.

"Yeah, not bad," he told her. Both Digimon turned to look at Lucemon and Beelzemon. The Demon Lords' fight had _not_ gone as smoothly as their own. They'd had to be stopped within the first few minutes of their battle, because they were already getting too dangerous. Right now, they were, thankfully, not even looking at each other.

"Think they'll ever get along?" Lilamon asked.

ShadowWereGarurumon gave her a look. "Will the sky ever fall?"

"Eh, good point," the plant Digimon agreed. "So what do we do?"

"Hope they don't kill each other, I guess," was his only answer.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Things have been pretty quiet from the Digital World, lately," Dai commented. The small group was hanging out in the courtyard, and it was about another hour until dinner.

"Don't say that!" Hiroshi said. "You'll jinx it!"

Asuka rolled her eyes. Leave it to Dai to point out the obvious. "He's right, though," she put in. "Think things have started to calm down over there?"

"Doubt it," Beelzemon muttered. "Things ain't ever calm there."

"Um, how long has it been since you were _in_ the Digital World, Beelzemon?" Chiharu asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That's not the point!" the Demon Lord insisted. "That ain't something that'll change. There's always _somethin_' going on over there."

"But the things having to do with Earth may have subsided," BlackSeraphimon stated.

Snimon nodded. "Yep, maybe we're in the clear."

"I don't mean to be the one to spoil everyone's mood," Lotosmon said, "but if the problem between the Digital World and the Real World could really solve itself, then the Digi-Destined wouldn't have been chosen. Am I right?"

"She has a point," Asuka agreed reluctantly. "It might just be the calm before the storm."

"Like we don't do enough…" Chiharu muttered. The Digi-Destined, especially she and Beelzemon, had saved the school countless times, helped find a lost child, saved Halloween, _and_ stopped one of their own from destroying the Academy. What more did they want?

"I think Asuka's right," Beelzemon muttered. "I don't like this. We've got too many enemies, and not seein' any of 'em yet ain't sittin' right with me."

"Enemies?" Dai asked. "What enemies?"

"Remember when Ogudomon broke into the school?" Beelzemon asked, causing all parties involved to shudder at the memory.

"Did you have to remind us…?" Chiharu muttered.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

_Impmon's eyes widened a fraction. "I knew I recognized you from somewhere," he hissed. "Come to do his bidding, huh?"_

_But Ogudomon shook its head, still laughing. "No, the others are nothing more than eggs now, just like you were mere days ago. But I'm about to change that. Lord Lucemon will rise again, and the only thing standing in his way is this school. Once it's gone, he'll be able to be reborn, and regain his power as Ruler of the Digital World."_

_Impmon laughed. "So they bit the dust too, huh? Serves them right!"_

"_Um, Impmon, what's going on?" Chiharu asked. "What are you talking about?"_

_But Impmon ignored her. "But I'm a threat to that, right? You came here to finish me off before I got strong enough to go back and destroy you?"_

"_It seems we did underestimate, if only a little," it laughed. "But yes, it's true. With you out of the way, things will go much more smoothly. Of course, that also means getting rid of your human pet."_

_Chiharu didn't appreciate the 'pet' remark, but she was too terrified to say a word about it. She could only watch as it drew nearer, getting ready to kill them all._

"_So who else is going for this 'restore Lucemon to power' thing, huh?" Impmon asked, and the humans realized what he was doing. He was buying time. The teachers would definitely find them, and save them, they just had to stay alive long enough for them to arrive. And as long as Impmon kept it talking, it wouldn't be able to attack. "That Shadowlord that Lucemon made, right? Apocalymon? The Dex? Am I getting close?"_

"_Yes, all of them stand by Lord Lucemon's side. And to stand by his side means to stand against you," it told them._

"_And Reapermon too, right? And does he still have the Devas under his thumb, too?"_

"_Why, yes, we all follow him faithfully. Even if you do regain all of your original powers, you cannot hope to stop all of us."_

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"You mean that we have to worry about all of them attacking?" Hiroshi asked.

Beelzemon nodded. "And they'll probably be tryin' ta bring Lucemon back and make him their leader again."

"How many Digimon are we talking?" Snimon asked nervously.

"Well," the Demon Lord started. "There are twelve Devas, and there are four Dex. Add in Reapermon, Apocalymon, and Ogudomon, and we're lookin' at nineteen."

"What about that Shadowlord it mentioned?" Chiharu asked.

"As long as Lucemon stays on our side," he started, "we'll have the Shadowlord. When we first came into power, he decided that he wanted to make some kind of backup for his power, so he used some of his own data to make a creature we call the Shadowlord."

"And he's loyal to Lucemon no matter what," Dai guessed, earning a nod. "Okay, now, all we have to do is hope to God that Lucemon stays on our side, right?"

"It's the best we _can_ do right now," Lotosmon said.

BlackSeraphimon looked back at Beelzemon. "How likely is that?"

"Not very," the Demon Lord admitted. "If they give him the chance to get back in power, he'll take it, no doubt."

"And according to Ogudomon," Asuka said, "that's exactly what they want."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Hey, Lucemon?" Mayu asked her partner.

"What is it?"

"If you had the option of being the ruler of the Digital World again… but you couldn't bring me with you… what would you do?"

Lucemon stared at the human. "What brought this on?"

"I overheard Miura and some of her friends talking about it. Apparently, Ogudomon, whoever that is—"

"Ogudomon was here?" Lucemon asked, interrupted Mayu.

"I think so. It was before I came here, so you must have still been an Egg. It was a few days after Miura started," she told him. "She mentioned that it, along with a lot of other Digimon, want you back in charge, so they came to try and get your Egg. But if they took you, they wouldn't want you having a human partner. So… what would you do?"

Lucemon had to think on that. He, like Beelzemon, had developed a bond with his partner, which was something that couldn't be broken. He knew that he couldn't just leave her there if the opportunity to rule presented itself and she wasn't allowed to follow. "I would demand that they allow you to join me."

"And if they said no?"

He paused. "I would stay," he finally answered, making Mayu grin.

"Thanks," she said. "That means a lot."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Many figures gathered amongst the shadows in the Digital World. They had opened countless Gates to allow Digimon to pass through to the Real World and cause trouble, but the time for silly games was over. They had to act now.

"I heard a rumor that Lord Lucemon has returned," a raspy voice said.

"We musssst act now, or it will be too late," another voice hissed.

"Should we all go at once? Swarm the Real World?"

"But if the rumors are false, then it will be a wasted trip, and possibly a great sacrifice for nothing."

"Silence!" a louder voice yelled, and all talking ceased. "What we need is a reconnaissance mission. Makuramon, Kumbhiramon, step forward."

The Monkey and Rat Digimon faded into view from the shadows. "You summoned us?" Makuramon asked.

"You two are going to the Real World to confirm or refute these rumors. If they happen to be true, return Lord Lucemon to us immediately."

The two Digimon nodded. "Understood."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The younger children were in the Lounge when it happened. Yet another Gate appeared, terrifying them all.

"We have to get out of here!" Reiko yelled, dashing out, followed closely by Gazimon.

Kazue was on her way to follow her friend when she noticed that her brother and his Digimon hadn't moved from their spot. "Yuichi, come on, get out of there!"

"No!" the boy yelled back. "I'm supposed to take care of this, it's my job, remember?" He turned back to his sister. "Go," he told her, and after a moment of deliberation, she complied. He turned back to the Gate and gulped. He had to be brave. When the two Digimon made it through, however, Wizardmon grabbed his partner's hand and led him away.

"We have to warn the others," he told the young boy.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"I knew it was too good to be true," Chiharu muttered as they felt the tell-tale shaking of a Gate appearing. "I wonder what it is this time."

"Hey, is that the little boy that's in D-Class?" Snimon asked, gesturing in the direction of the building.

"Yuichi?" Chiharu asked, and sure enough, it was, with Wizardmon with him. He looked scared and very out of breath. "It's okay now, we'll take care of this."

"Wait…" he said, trying to catch his breath. He had to relay what he'd heard the two say before they had to leave. "Gate… Deva…"

"Wait," Beelzemon said. "You're sayin' a _Deva_ broke through?"

"Two of them, actually," Wizardmon corrected. "One looked a bit like a monkey, while the other one looked like some sort of mouse."

"Makuramon and Kumbhiramon," the Demon Lord muttered, drawing the Berenjena. "Great." He looked at his partner. "We're goin'."

"I was just about to say the same thing," she replied, and the two left for the site of the Gate.

"Be careful!" Hiroshi called to her. He was already worried about her, and she hadn't even engaged in a battle yet.

When Chiharu arrived, most of the others were already there. The only ones missing were Mayu and Lucemon. The two Digimon in front of them looked around at them.

"He isn't here yet," the one that looked like a mouse said.

"Perhaps this was a waste of time," the monkey one said with a sigh. His eyes rested on Beelzemon. He hastily bowed. He felt no really allegiance to the Demon Lord of Gluttony, but it was a knee-jerk reaction from all the times he'd been disciplined for not showing his superiors their proper respect. "What a surprise, Lord Beelzemon," he said, cursing himself. He wasn't supposed to speak to Beelzemon respectfully, especially after what happened, but it had rolled off of his tongue before he could stop it.

"I'm not getting anything on these guys," Satoru said, frowning at his D-Agent.

"Don't need to," Beelzemon said. "I can tell ya all ya need to know. Monkey boy over here's Makuramon. He's an Ultimate. Actually, all Devas are. His attacks are Treasure Ball and Primal Orb. And that nasty little guy is—"

"Kumbhiramon," another voice spoke, and all heads turned to the source. It was Lucemon. "He's a Deva as well, and fights with the move 'Deva Clone'."

"Lord Lucemon!" Makuramon exclaimed, dropping to one knee. He dipped his head to bow, and Kumbhiramon did the same. "How wonderful to finally see you again!"

"Return with us to the Digital World, so that you can become our ruler once more!" Kumbhiramon begged. Their old ruler gave them a long, hard look.

"My place is here now," he said, glancing back at Mayu, who smiled. All the other Digi-Destined and their partners were surprised. Had Lucemon just turned down the chance to rule the Digital World again to remain with his human partner?

The Devas look from Lucemon to Mayu and back again. "You're partnered with a human?" Makuramon asked, raising a cupped hand. "Pity." A sphere of energy gathered in his cupped hand before he thrust it forward. "Primal Orb!"

The Fallen Angel Digimon took a simple sidestep and the attack whisked past his head. "How rude," he commented.

"Double Impact!" Beelzemon attacked, and that shot started the battle.

"Deva Clone!" Kumbhiramon said, producing clones of himself that surrounded BlackAgumon. The dinosaur Digimon looked back to his partner for help, but Hideaki was frozen with fear. He was no doubt afraid that BlackAgumon would become SkullGreymon and lose control again.

"Pepper Breath!" he attacked, but it didn't do much.

"Which is the real me?" all the clones asked at once. "You can't figure it out, can you?"

Wizardmon noticed the situation the Rookie was in. "Thunder Ball!" he attacked, and the real Kumbhiramon was blown away a few feet while the clones disappeared.

"Thanks," BlackAgumon said. Wizardmon nodded in reply.

"Lila Shower!" Lilamon yelled, targeting Makuramon, but the monkey dodged it easily.

"Treasure Ball!" he retaliated, but his aim was thrown off when he was hit by a physical attack.

"Shadow Claw!" ShadowWereGarurumon attacked, hitting Makuramon so hard that he spun.

"Deva Clone!" Kumbhiramon tried again, this time surrounding Beelzemon.

"Yer makin' this too easy," the Demon Lord said with a smirk. "Darkness Claw!"

"Grand Cross!" Lucemon attacked the rat at the same time, destroying the Deva instantly.

"I knew that I never should have brought him," Makuramon muttered. "Pathetic little rat." He realized that all the Digimon and their human partners were now looking at him. Without Kumbhiramon providing a good distraction, all their attention was on him now. He risked a quick glance behind him to see that his Gate was beginning to close. "It was nice meeting you, but I've got to run!" he said, hopping through the Gate just before the doors were fully closed.

"Damn!" Beelzemon yelled angrily.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The group was now in the Headmaster's office, where they'd been summoned immediately after the fight with the two Devas.

"It's probably because we let Makuramon escape," Tsukiko muttered pessimistically.

When the Headmaster entered the room, they were all silent. "Now that the Devas have broken through, we know that there is someone in the Digital World pulling the string behind these attacks," he said. "We have no choice but to send you to the Digital World to get rid of the root of the problem."

Beelzemon stared. "Ya mean, we're goin' back?" he asked.

"Yes," the Headmaster replied.

"When do we leave?" Mayu asked.

"Tomorrow morning," Dynasmon informed them. "I suggest you use this time to pack and say your good-byes."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"You're going to the Digital World?" Hiroshi asked.

"Yep," Chiharu answered with a nod. "We have to stop the threat at the source, so we're going to find it and take care of it. We leave tomorrow."

"Any idea how long you'll be gone?" Asuka asked.

"As long as it takes," Beelzemon answered.

"Good luck," Dai told them. "Go get 'em."

"Hey, Asuka?" Chiharu asked the girl suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"Can I talk to you over there for a minute?"

The two girls walked away little bit so that they weren't overheard by the boys. "What's up?"

"I want you to tell Dai that you like him," Chiharu said. "Make sure he knows before I get back, okay?"

"But I can't!" Asuka said.

"The worst he can do is say no," the Digi-Destined replied with a shrug.

"No, the worst he can do is say no and never speak to me again, ruining our friendship," Asuka contradicted.

Chiharu rolled her eyes. "I highly doubt that's going to happen." She patted her friend's shoulder. "It'll all work out, trust me."

"How do you know?"

"I've just got a feeling," was the reply before the two headed back to the group.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"I don't want you to go!" Kazue wailed.

"I have to go," her brother said sadly.

"No, I won't let you!" the little girl yelled, wrapping her arms around Yuichi.

"Let him go, Kazue," Reiko said softly.

"No! If I let go, he's gonna go and get hurt!" Kazue said, beginning to cry.

"He has a duty as a Digi-Destined," Gazimon told her. "It's what he has to do."

"But—"

Wizardmon placed a hand on her shoulder calmingly. "I'll keep him safe," he assured the little girl. "I promise."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Yes, Mom, I'll be fine," Satoru said, balancing the phone with his shoulder while he decided what to bring and what to leave behind. He had a very small messenger bag, limiting what he could bring.

"But how do I know you'll come back safe?" his neurotic mother asked.

"It's not like I'm the only one going," he told her. "And I've got Lilamon to protect me."

"How do I know I can trust her to keep you safe?"

Satoru rolled his eyes. "If you'd come visit me sometime, you'd have met her." He found that he didn't need much, so it was a good thing the bag was so small. A change of clothes wasn't really necessary, because they wouldn't get the chance to wash either, so better to only bring one.

"Be careful," his mother said with a sigh. "Oh, hold on, your father wants to talk to you. Bye, sweetie."

"Bye, Mom," he replied.

"So you and your friends are going to save the world, am I right?" his dad asked.

"Yeah."

"We're doomed," he joked.

"Takeshi!" Satoru heard his mother yell on the other side of the line.

"I was kidding," his dad said, and the boy could practically hear the man rolling his eyes. "Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I'm proud of you, and good luck."

"Thanks, Dad. I love you."

"Love you, too, son."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu was up bright and early the next morning. She wore the same outfit she'd arrived at the Academy in: a red midriff T-shirt, blue jeans, white sneakers, and a single black and white striped arm warmer on her left arm. She had a black messenger bag slung over her shoulder, which contained a few bottles of water, a small first aid kit, and her Digimon History textbook. If she could get some reading done while they were there, she might get a better understanding of what was going on.

"Yer so weird," Beelzemon had told her when he'd seen her put the book in her bag.

She waited in the front hall for the others to show up. First was Tsukiko, wearing her typical workout clothes: a tight black tank top, black sweatpants and black shoes. She wore a dark green backpack with some water of her own and a towel.

Mayu showed up next, in a pink tank top and denim shorts. She wore white sandals. She didn't bother with a bag.

"You're wearing _those_?" Chiharu asked, motioning down to the sandals.

"Yes, why? What's wrong with them?" the blonde asked defensively.

"Nothing," Tsukiko butted in, "but you _do_ know we're going to be walking a lot, right?"

"Well, some of us are," the Demon Lord of Gluttony muttered with a smirk, leaving Chiharu, the only one who'd heard, very confused.

Hideaki had a black sweatshirt over a grey T-Shirt and dark jeans. He also wore black sneakers. Since he didn't have many possessions in the first place, he didn't need a bag, either.

Yuichi was escorted by Ikeda, still trying to wake up. He wore a blue T-shirt with a white lopsided oval outlined in purple, with a purple swish on the inside of the oval. Under the T-shirt was a pale yellow long sleeved shirt, and he wore tan cargo pants. He had white socks and dark grey slip on shoes. He had a little red backpack with a few packed lunches that an older student had helped him make, some water, and a small blanket.

Finally, Satoru showed up, still wearing his school uniform.

"Is that _really_ what you're wearing?" Mayu asked disdainfully.

"I thought that it would be a good idea," he protested. "If Digimon see that we're from the Academy, hopefully, a lot of them will leave us alone."

"That's a good point," Tsukiko said.

"Of course, there are also the Digimon that will make us an immediate target for the same reason," Lucemon added.

"Oh, shush, you," Chiharu said. "Are we ready?"

"Wait!" they heard, and all turned.

"Oh, hey, Miura, it's your boyfriend," Hideaki stated.

"Hiroshi? What are you doing here? It's 6 AM!" she asked, staring.

"I wanted to say a _proper_ good-bye," he said, and then he kissed her, making her blush like mad. "Good luck," he told her, "and be careful."

"I will, I promise," Chiharu told him with a smile. "I'll see you when I get back."

"Bye," he said with a smile before turning to leave and running right into Nakayama. "Sorry, Nakayama-sensei," he apologized.

"No, it's fine," the teacher assured him. He turned to the Digi-Destined as Hiroshi left. "Are you all ready?" They all nodded in response. "This journey could be very dangerous, so keep on your toes," he warned them. "You can use your D-Agents to communicate with any other Digivice, including the D-Controls, so we'd prefer that you kept in touch. Are there any questions?"

"Just one," Yuichi said, raising his hand. "How are we getting there?"

"Ah, right!" Nakayama said. "Follow me." He led them to the Team Battling Room. "We've been modifying the system all night to be able to open a modified Gate for you to pass through to the Digital World." He looked over at the main control panel in the Observation Room. "What's the status?"

A head popped up from under the panel to reveal Hotaru. "Almost done," she said.

"You work on tech, too?" Lilamon asked.

The woman nodded. "Truth be told, though, Datamon's the one doing most of the work."

"Yes," his voice came from somewhere _inside_ the system. "And it's a good thing I like what I do, because we don't get paid nearly enough for this." A few more moments passed. "Done! We're all set to go!"

"Start it up," Nakayama requested.

"Yes, Sir," Hotaru said, pressing buttons and flipping switches that looked random to the children. There was an electronic hum all around them, and data finally began materializing and fusing together, creating a human-sized version of the giant Gates that opened to release Digimon into the Real World. The doors began to open.

"Good-bye, everyone," Nakayama said with a smile. "We all wish you the best of luck!"

"Thanks!" Chiharu called, before running through the doors, closely followed by the rest of the group.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The students blinked, temporarily blinded by the bright sun. They were in the middle of a prairie, so there was nothing to block out the sun. They heard many footsteps around them, and went to face whatever enemies were after them, but were a bit shocked to realize that all the Digimon were running away from them. One small Digimon tripped, however, and turned around fearfully, backing up.

"What's the matter?" Satoru asked.

"Wh-What are they doing here?" it asked, raising a small arm to point at Lucemon and Beelzemon. "I thought… I thought they were gone… I thought we were free!"

"Calm down," Chiharu said, squatting in front of it. She took out her D-Agent. "Do you know what this is?"

The Digimon nodded. "It's a Digivice."

"Right, meaning that I'm partnered with a Digimon. Beelzemon's my partner," she said with a reassuring smile. "And Lucemon is Mayu's," she added, motioning behind her to the blonde. "Don't worry, the rest of the Demon Lords are still Eggs, and these guys won't hurt you."

Her relaxing words calmed it just a bit. "O-Okay… what are you humans doing here, anyway?" it asked. "Humans haven't been in the Digital World for a long time."

"We're here because there's a problem with this world and ours. Gates have been opening more frequently, and we were just recently attacked by a pair of Devas," Wizardmon informed it.

"D-Devas?" it squeaked. "You'd better be careful, they're very dangerous."

"Yer forgetting who yer talkin' to," Beelzemon told it, making it cringe.

"Oh, y-yes, I'm sorry… but wouldn't they listen to you? You used to lead them…"

"No," Lucemon said, shaking his head. "I prefer to stay with my partner, so when I refused their… invitation to return, they turned on me. And they were never loyal to Beelzemon in the first place."

"I wish you luck," the small Digimon said, standing and turning to leave.

"Wait," Tsukiko said, and it turned. "Do you have any idea where we could get more information?"

It shook its head. "Sorry…"

"No, it's fine, I was just wondering," the girl said, and the Digimon left. "Now what?"

"I have an idea," Lucemon said.

"Oh yeah?" Beelzemon asked. "What's that?"

"Call Behemoth," the Fallen Angel said, confusing all humans present.

"Behemoth?" Chiharu asked, looking from one Demon Lord to the other and back again, confused.

"We're going to be traveling quite a distance," Lucemon continued.

The Demon Lord of Gluttony rolled his eyes and shrugged. Unexpectedly, he let out a high-pitched whistle, after which everyone gave him a strange stare. "Just wait," was all he said, and a few seconds later, they heard a rumbling sound growing louder and louder. Finally, they saw what looked like a large motorcycle approaching them. It stopped directly in front of Beelzemon, revealing that it had no rider.

Beelzemon climbed on, and then helped his partner up behind him. "Alright, hot-shot, where are we goin'?" he asked his former leader. He and Chiharu may be the ones in charge now, but Lucemon _was_ the only one with an actual plan right now.

The Demon Lord of Pride smirked at him. "We're going home."

**Next time:  
Mayu: So this is your old castle? It really went to ruin after you guys left.  
Hideaki: Guys, I think something's moving over there…  
ShadowWereGarurumon: You're just imagining things.  
Chiharu: Beelzemon! Help!  
Beelzemon: Dammit! I'm comin'!  
BlackAgumon: Blast Mode…?  
Beelzemon: Now that's what I'm talkin' about!**

**Bet you guys are all excited for next week, huh? Anyway, this was pretty fun to write, too. I think my favorite part of this was when Makuramon and Kumbhiramon attacked, and then when Makuramon realized the trouble he was in once he no longer had a distraction. Some of you might be thinking 'why did you let him get away, Elisa?' Well, I'll tell you: for one, Makuramon is my favorite Deva, and it's pretty fun writing as him, so I don't want that to be over so soon. Second, if you pay as much attention to Tamers as I do, you'll notice that not counting Antylamon (who doesn't count anyway, because she changed sides) he's the Deva that lasted the longest. Simply put: Makuramon is one slippery little bastard.**

**Anyway, Review & Covers, please~**


	17. Blast From the Past

**Question time~  
Question 1, to all the Devas: Who do you think is the strongest out of all of you?  
Mihiramon: I'd have to say that I am.  
Antylamon: I know I'm not the strongest, but if I have to pick one of the others… Maybe Vikaralamon?  
Majiramon: I've got to be the strongest.  
Sandiramon: No, me!  
Indramon: If the rest of you don't shut up, I'll **_**make**_** you, proving that I'm the strongest!  
Pajiramon: For the record, it's none of these fools. It's me.  
Sinduramon: Wrong! It's me!  
Caturamon: Without electricity, you're nothing more than a canary. I believe it's me.  
Vikaralamon: I'm the biggest, so I cause the most destruction! It's definitely me!  
Vajramon: I'm the strongest, though Vikaralamon **_**does**_** come in a close second.  
Makuramon: I may not be **_**the**_** strongest, I'll admit, but I **_**am**_** the most cunning, which is much more important when it comes to survival.  
Kumbhiramon: Well, **_**I**_** think it's—  
The other 11: You're already dead!  
Me: *sigh* See what you started?  
Question 2: How tall are the Digimon? You said before that they stayed at a level to fit inside, but a lot of Digimon are taller. Is there any ducking under doorframes, or are they just tall for a human?  
Me: Alright, interesting question. The humanoid Digimon (like Lotosmon and BlackSeraphimon) can range anywhere from 5 ½ to about 7 ½ feet. Beelzemon, for example, is ridiculously tall, between 7 ½ to 8 feet, using a common estimate. The doorways at the Academy have been built to accommodate their sizes, so the doorways are about nine feet high, and the ceilings of most of the rooms are about 11 feet. And, in case anyone decides to ask this, the Team Battling room, when creating an illusion, opens a rift, so it kind of transports the user into an 'alternate Digital World' with controlled conditions. Because it's a 'pocket dimension', its size is a lot larger, thus able to accommodate any Digivolution, like when BlackAgumon accidentally became SkullGreymon. Is that a bit too much information…? And this is something that hasn't been formally asked, but I feel I should answer anyway—  
Lucemon: It's about me, so I might as well answer it. People wonder why I didn't initially remember my past when I first hatched from my Egg. The simple answer to why Beelzemon remembered and I did not is that while Beelzemon still had all his power, though much of it had been suppressed by yours truly, I did not. As it has been stated before, I created the Shadowlord a long time ago. Because of that, I didn't have all of my data when I was reconfigured, so there wasn't enough power to allow me to remember? Does that clear it up for anyone who'd been wondering?  
Me: Well put.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own the Digimon, but everything else is mine. Well… the Digital World… hm… the concept isn't mine, but the layout/map of it **_**is**_**.**

Lucemon had been right. It _was_ a long way to travel. They'd been walking for hours, and the castle only just came into view… and it was on a mountain.

"Oh, man," Mayu whined. "Are you kidding? My feet are _killing_ me."

"Told you," Chiharu said, rolling her eyes. She'd been spared the pains of walking, however, thanks to Beelzemon's bike. "It's your own fault for wearing those sandals."

"Shut up," the blonde argued. "Who asked you?"

The rest of the group sighed. "Can't you two try to get along for at least two seconds?" Satoru asked, exasperated. He was usually a pretty tolerant person, but their bickering was getting to be too much.

"No," they both said at the same time.

"Well, at least they agree on something," Lilamon commented.

"A step in the right direction," ShadowWereGarurumon agreed.

Hideaki looked at the Demon Lords. "How much further is it?" he asked.

"Oh, probably about a few miles," Beelzemon replied. He glanced back at his partner. "We're gonna have to get off soon. Behemoth's fine on its own up here, but it can't handle two riders uphill."

"Got it," Chiharu replied with a nod. "Why are we heading to your old castle, again?"

Lucemon sighed. "The Devas appear to be behind the attacks on the Academy. They also used to be under our control, so they may still be based at the castle."

"We're not ready to fight all of them," Wizardmon pointed out.

"I said _may_," Lucemon said. "If they aren't, we can still see if there is anything there that can help us."

Beelzemon glanced at the castle, then back at the rest of the group. "We're goin' on ahead," he announced.

"Why?" Tsukiko asked.

"Who knows what's livin' in there, now that we're gone?" he replied. "If there are Megas in there, some of ya will be in a lot of danger, cuz ya can't fight 'em."

"Wow," Lilamon said, staring. "Are you… doing something to _help people_?"

"Shaddup," the biker Digimon said, right before Behemoth sped up, quickly leaving the group behind.

"So you _can_ be nice," Chiharu teased. "So what kind of Digimon do you think might be in there?"

"Anything, really," Beelzemon told her. "No way to find out 'til we get there." They arrived at the base of the mountain. "Alright, time to get off." He stepped off the bike, followed by his partner.

Chiharu dug out her D-Agent, ready to use it for information or to scan her cards. They started their trek up the mountain.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

After what felt like forever, they arrived at the castle entrance. "This place is _huge_," Chiharu said, gawking.

The Demon Lord shrugged. "Eh, it ain't that great." He led her inside.

"So what's the plan?" the human asked.

"We're gonna go in and check things out real quick," Beelzemon told her. "We gotta make sure it's safe before everyone else gets here."

"Alright," Chiharu agreed. "Lead the way."

The two entered room after room, and while everything was very dusty and decrepit, there was no sign of any Digimon living there.

"Guess we got here early fer nothin'," Beelzemon commented.

"Guess so," Chiharu responded. "Let's go back and wait for the others." They turned to leave, but the human stopped and glanced over her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Beelzemon asked.

"Oh, it's nothing," she told him, shaking her head. _I could have sworn I saw something…_

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The two had been waiting at the entrance for quite a while before the rest of the group had caught up. "What took you guys so long?" the leader joked.

"A certain someone kept complaining and making us stop every ten minutes," Hideaki muttered.

"It's not my fault my feet hurt!" Mayu yelled.

"Yes, it is," nearly everyone else said.

"Was there anything here?" Lilamon asked.

Beelzemon shook his head. "We didn't find anything."

"Maybe we got lucky," BlackAgumon suggested.

"I doubt it," Chiharu said. "Since when are we ever that lucky? Just keep your eyes open." She looked at Lucemon. "Alright, what are we looking for?"

"Any sign that the castle has been disrupted," the Demon Lord of Pride informed her. "You just performed a quick sweep, correct?"

"Yeah," Beelzemon answered.

"So, we're looking for anything that might be out of the ordinary?" ShadowWereGarurumon asked, earning a nod. "Then, let's get to it."

"So this is your old castle?" Mayu asked her partner as they walked. "It really went to ruin after you guys left."

"Well, apparently there was no one here to keep it clean," the Fallen Angel Digimon said, eying all the dust and cobwebs.

"What _would_ be 'out of the ordinary' here, anyway?" Tsukiko asked. "I mean, look at this place!" She motioned to the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, that had tiny but deadly spikes instead of crystals. Every so often, they'd come across some sort of long de-activated trap.

No one had an answer. It would be hard to find something unusual that would stand out in a place where unusual was the norm.

Hideaki paused, turning his head. Something had caught his attention. "I think something's moving over there…" he said softly, pointing down a side hall that was drenched in shadows.

"You're just imagining things," ShadowWereGarurumon told him, and the boy continued walking, but with a feeling of unease. Chiharu knew that Hideaki couldn't have been imagining things, because she'd seen something earlier.

They continued their walk, which was mostly uneventful, until they reached the Dining Hall. Everyone had split up to search their own part of the large room, and Wizardmon was examining the cobweb covered chair. The pattern of the web seemed oddly familiar…

He reached a hand out to touch it, and even through his glove, he felt like something had burned him. He drew his hand back, feeling a bit woozy, as though a small virus were trying to infect him. He shook his head and Yuichi looked at him worriedly.

"What's wrong?" he asked the Digimon.

Wizardmon wished he could tell the boy that it was nothing, but he had to warn the others before it was too late. "Everyone!" he yelled, causing them to all look in his direction. "We aren't as alone as we thought!" he said, risking further exposure by grabbing a handful of the web and picking it up to show them. As soon as he knew they got the message, he dropped the web, hoping that he would recover quickly enough for the battle soon to come.

Lucemon glanced up and then turned his sharp gaze to Chiharu and Beelzemon. "You looked around, but did you look _up_?"

Human and Digimon looked at each other before looking at the ceiling, so high that it was almost pitch black. The rest of their group soon followed their gaze and saw hundreds of faintly glowing green eyes staring at them. "Not good," Beelzemon said, right before all hell broke loose.

Countless spider-like Digimon dropped down on threads like the ones making up the cobwebs. Mayu screamed. She _hated_ creepy crawlies, Digital or otherwise.

"Dokugumon," Hideaki read. "Champion Level. Attacks: Poison Cobweb and Poison Thread." He looked over at Yuichi and his partner. "What's wrong with Wizardmon?" he asked, noticing the Champion swaying slightly.

"He touched the web!" BlackAgumon realized. "Wizardmon's a Data Type," he explained. "Dokugumon's body is filled with a strong virus. Since it's a Virus type anyway, it doesn't affect it at all. Vaccine types are immune too, because their bodies can naturally combat it. Data types aren't safe, though. The virus could be deadly if there's too much exposure."

Lilamon, also a Data Type, looked nervous. "Uh oh," she said.

Chiharu looked at Satoru. "Get her somewhere safe, and bring Wizardmon and Yuichi with you. Leave this to us."

"Got it," the older boy said with a nod, leading Yuichi out, supporting Wizardmon to help him leave as well. Lilamon followed close behind.

Beelzemon laughed, drawing the Berenjena. "Looks like it's up ta the Viruses ta save the day!" he said with a grin. "Double Impact!" The attack hit several Dokugumon, destroying them instantly.

"Grand Cross!" Lucemon attacked, also instantly destroying his opponents.

"Full Moon Kick!" ShadowWereGarurumon yelled, attacking the Spider Digimon surrounding him. His attacks did damage, but they weren't nearly as powerful as the attacks of the two Demon Lords. "Shadow Claw!" he swiped at the Digimon, finally destroying them.

"Pepper Breath!" BlackAgumon attacked, his weak fireballs hitting the Dokugumon harmlessly. He glanced back at Hideaki, who'd frozen up at the thought of a battle again. _If only I could Digivolve…_ he thought. _But Hideaki's still too terrified that I'll become SkullGreymon again…_

Tsukiko realized the bind that the boy was in. She looked over at Chiharu. "Hey, Chiharu!" she called, grabbing the goggle head's attention. "Were you or Mayu the one that defeated Kumbhiramon?"

"Uh, I don't really know," she said. "The attacks hit at the same time. Why?"

"If you've got his card," Tsukiko started, "I need it."

Chiharu pulled out her deck and found the card. "Alright, got it!" she threw the card like a Frisbee, and Tsukiko caught it with ease.

"Thanks!" she called back, pulling out her D-Agent. "Digital Ability. Kumbhiramon's Deva Clone: Connect!"

"Deva Clone!" ShadowWereGarurumon yelled, and five clones of himself appeared at his side. Three went to aid BlackAgumon, and the other continued fending off the Dokugumon in front of them.

Mayu saw many smaller versions of the Dokugumon making their way toward her. The only thing that she got from her D-Agent was that they were called KoDokugumon, and they were Fresh Digimon. "Gross!" she screamed, and Lucemon turned back to his partner.

The Demon Lord took careful aim and yelled, "Grand Cross!" The attack hit perfectly, destroying the KoDokugumon while not even touching Mayu.

"Thanks, Lucemon!" she said.

Beelzemon growled in anger. "These things are startin' ta get freakin' annoying!"

"For once," Lucemon spoke, "I agree with you."

Beelzemon holstered his guns. "Darkness Claw!" he yelled, running at the Dokugumon, claws slicing through them like a knife through warm butter. It took very little more to rid the room of the rest of the spiders. "Alright, we got rid of all of them in here, but there might still be more anywhere else," Beelzemon warned.

"Someone should go and get Satoru and Yuichi," Hideaki pointed out.

"I'll go," Tsukiko told them. "I'll catch up with you guys in a little bit, okay?"

"Be careful," Chiharu said.

"We'll be fine," Tsukiko assured the group before heading out the way they'd come, ready to search for the boys. She was quickly followed by her Beast Digimon.

"Now what?" BlackAgumon asked.

"We keep going," Beelzemon answered, leading the way through another door.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Marvel Shot!" Lilamon attacked desperately. They were holed up in a room that looked like it used to be used for storage, and they had just recently been spotted.

"Poison Thread!" one of the Dokugumon attacked. Lilamon was just barely able to dodge in time. Wizardmon, however, wasn't as lucky. He was already disoriented from his previous exposure to the virus, and this attack made him collapse.

"Wizardmon!" Yuichi yelled. He hugged the Digimon, afraid that the worst would happen. "Are we gonna be okay?"

Satoru really wanted to tell him yes, but he couldn't lie. "I don't know," he answered honestly.

"Don't give up yet!" they both heard, and looked up, surprised to see data flying around near the back of the swarm.

"Shadow Claw!" ShadowWereGarurumon yelled, paving the way for his partner.

Tsukiko dashed to the boys, punching the occasional Dokugumon that tried to block her path out of her way. "You guys okay?" she asked, and then glanced down at Wizardmon. "What happened?"

"He got hit," Satoru told her.

"Not good," she muttered. "I'm going to drive them out of here, you two stay put. Lock the door, alright? And take care of the kid."

Satoru nodded. "Got it."

"Good," the girl said. She turned back to ShadowWereGarurumon. "Let's show these losers we can do!"

"You got it!" the Beast Digimon replied. "Full Moon Kick!"

"Marvel Shot!" Lilamon called, attacking from a safe distance, but able to still hit her targets. They made quick work of the Dokugumon in the room, and were working on all the ones trying to enter.

"See you in a little while!" Tsukiko called over her shoulder as she ran out the door, and ShadowWereGarurumon closed it behind them, leaving the boys alone once again.

"What are we going to do?" Yuichi asked the older boy nervously. "Wizardmon's hurt really badly."

"I know," Satoru said softly. "All we can do is hope, really. Hope that the others will finish here and come back for us. Then we'll find some way to help Wizardmon. I promise."

"Okay," Yuichi said softly.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The group entered the throne room, but something was different from when Chiharu and Beelzemon had done their initial search.

"I thought we were the only humans in the Digital World," Mayu said, staring.

"She _definitely_ wasn't there before," Chiharu spoke. There was a lone woman sitting on the center throne. She had long, blue-silver hair and wore dark purple sunglasses that hid her eyes. She wore a long red dress, purple gloves and boots, and a purple and red hat.

"Well, well," she said, looking up. "What a surprise. I heard the Demon Lords were gone for good."

"Why are you here?" Hideaki asked. "What's another human doing here in the Digital World?"

Beelzemon shook his head. "That ain't no human," he said, confusing the humans.

"Aw, why'd you have to go and tell them that?" she asked, standing. "It would have been much more fun to have my pets finish them off."

"We got rid of most of your 'pets'," Lucemon informed her.

"How _dare_ you?!" she yelled angrily. Her body began to change, and soon she was a large red and purple spider Digimon with a humanoid torso.

"Arukenimon, Ultimate Level," Chiharu read. "Her attacks are Spider Thread, Predation Spider, Acid Mist, and… Spirit Needle?"

"She's a rare Digimon that can take on a human form," Lucemon informed the humans. "She's a very dangerous opponent."

"What's 'Spirit Needle'?" Hideaki asked.

"That's what makes her so dangerous," Beelzemon said.

"Come, dearies, let's play!" she said with a laugh. "Predation Spider!" Her abdomen seemed to open up in the front, and countless Dokugumon spilled out.

"I _hate_ spiders!" Mayu yelled as the Champion Digimon approached. "Why did they have to be spiders?"

"Let's get moving!" Chiharu yelled.

"They blocked the doors!" BlackAgumon informed them.

"How are we supposed to get out of here?" Hideaki asked.

Chiharu looked around. It was a good question. They seemed to be stuck, but then something caught her eye. "Hey, BlackAgumon? You seem to know a lot about the virus inside Dokugumon. Is it dangerous to humans, too?"

The small dinosaur shook his head. "It shouldn't be. The worst that will happen is that you might get a stomachache."

"Alright, here's the plan," the leader said, taking control. "We clear a way to that wall," she pointed to the one she was talking about. "You see those threads hanging down the wall from the webs? If they can hold Dokugumon's weight, there's no doubt it'll hold ours too. So, we're going to climb up to the window and escape through there."

"And just where are we supposed to go after that?" Mayu asked with a raised eyebrow.

"There's a small ledge that goes all the way along the outer wall," Beelzemon told them. "It leads around to one of the huge balconies. If we can get them there, it'll be an easier fight."

Chiharu nodded. "Then let's go."

"Double Impact!" Beelzemon yelled, aiming in the direction of the wall they were heading for, destroying many of the Dokugumon in the way.

"Grand Cross!" Lucemon yelled. Unfortunately for them, every Digimon they destroyed was quickly replaced. There was only one option. "Ultimate Sacrifice!" Lucemon yelled, and as the cube of his attack appeared, he willed it to expand as far as he could without bringing any hard to the Digi-Destined. As soon as the trapped Dokugumon disappeared, he yelled. "Now!"

The group made a break for it, and was quickly on their way up to the window. They were almost out when something grabbed Mayu's leg.

"Help me!" she yelled as she felt herself slowly being pushed down. Being the slowest (thanks to the sandals that she was finally starting to regret wearing), she was the last one to climb up the webs, so there was no one below to help her.

Chiharu, having been right above the blonde, was halfway out the window when she turned and reached a hand down, bracing the other against the window frame. "Grab my hand!" she yelled, reaching an arm down.

Mayu stared at her hand for a brief moment. Chiharu was helping her? But weren't they enemies? She couldn't worry about that now, though. She was being offered a chance to be saved, and she was going to take it. She grabbed Chiharu's hand, and the brunette pulled her up. "Thanks," she muttered.

"No problem," Chiharu responded. "Now come on, let's go." She let Mayu go ahead of her, so she brought up the rear in their line on the ledge. It was a _very_ small ledge, so one misstep would spell disaster for all of them. The group had forgotten one thing, though:

Arukenimon could follow them.

Chiharu saw the spider Digimon's human form emerge from the window, following them with ease. "Guys!" she yelled. "Hurry up!"

The others glanced back to see Arukenimon advancing and carefully picked up their pace. They made it to the balcony, where a large group of Dokugumon was already waiting for them.

"She must've told them where we were goin'," Beelzemon muttered angrily. He pulled out the Berenjena again. "Double Impact!" he yelled, clearing away enough space for the group to stand.

"Now what?" Hideaki asked.

"Knock off as many as we can and destroy the rest," Chiharu answered.

Arukenimon, still on the ledge, removed a strand of hair, and it stood straight up, as stiff as a needle. "Spirit Needle!" she yelled, throwing it in their direction. It landed at Chiharu's feet, embedding itself in the stone.

"Look out!" Beelzemon yelled, but it was too late. The stone under Chiharu shifted, and rose up in front of her. This made the rest of the stone unstable, and it caused what was left of what Chiharu was standing on to crumble away. She screamed. "Beelzemon! Help!"

"Dammit! I'm comin'!" he yelled, getting ready to go after her, but BlackAgumon spoke.

"How do you expect to save her?" he asked. "If you dive off, too, you'll just be falling with her."

_Damn_, he thought angrily. _Gimme somethin' that'll get us outta this mess._ He felt a surge of power run through his, and two sharp pains stabbed through his back, and he nearly doubled over because of it. His eyes were screwed shut, and everyone was surprised to see a pair of jet black wings rip through the Demon Lord's back. When the pain finally subsided, he opened his eyes, which had gone from blood red to emerald green. He flexed his wings to make sure he could move them before diving off to save his partner.

"Beelzemon Blast Mode," Mayu read, surprised. "Mega. He's got his old attacks, Double Impact and Darkness Claw, but he's also got a new attack: Corona Blaster." She looked up. "Weird…"

"Blast Mode…?" BlackAgumon asked quietly. Why was it called 'Blast Mode'? There wasn't anything to indicate anything of the sort.

Beelzemon realized that he wasn't catching up with his partner, and the ground was rushing up to meet them fast. He tucked in his wings and tucked his arms close to his sides, speeding up like a missile. He caught Chiharu, who stared at him, both terrified from the fall, and stunned that she was saved. The Demon Lord flared his wings, slowing their descent before rising again, speeding upward, ready to reenter the battle.

"Beelzemon, how did you…? You have _wings_!" Chiharu gaped.

"Yep," he replied. He reached the balcony again and set his partner down. "Now it's time fer some major butt whoopin'." He cracked his knuckles, looking around for his target, but Arukenimon was hidden by the wall, and every time an attack went her way, a Dokugumon protected her. He also noticed a new fighter in the battle.

"Golemon, Champion Level," Chiharu said, looking at her D-Agent. "Attacks: Sulfur Plume and Rock Punch. Where did he come from?"

"When Arukenimon uses her Spirit Needle attack, she can bring whatever the needle is absorbed into to life," Lucemon informed the group.

Beelzemon prepared to attack the Digimon in front of them, but before he could draw the Berenjena, something strange happened to his right arm. It began to change, becoming a large weapon.

"So that's where 'Blast Mode' came from," Hideaki remarked.

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about!" Beelzemon yelled, grinning. He raised the Blaster and aimed it at the Dokugumon. "Corona Blaster!" he yelled, and many of them were blown away in an instant.

"Grand Cross!" Lucemon attacked, taking out many more.

They made quick work of the spider Digimon, so soon there was only Golemon and Arukenimon left. "Rock Punch!" the stone Digimon yelled. The attack was aimed at Hideaki.

"Full Moon Kick!" they heard, and turned to see Tsukiko running through the doorway, following ShadowWereGarurumon.

"Hey, guys, what'd I—holy cow!" she said, staring at Beelzemon. "You've got _wings_!"

Because Golemon had been knocked off balance by the attack, its attack missed Hideaki. "Pepper Breath!" BlackAgumon yelled, though he knew he wouldn't be able to do much damage.

"Grand Cross!" Lucemon attacked, quickly followed by a Shadow Claw from ShadowWereGarurumon. It was quickly destroyed, leaving only Arukenimon left.

"I can't believe you destroyed all my lovely pets!" she hissed. She changed back into her Digimon form. "Spider Thread!"

ShadowWereGarurumon fell to one knee, injured by the attack. He looked up, glaring, but wasn't in much shape to battle.

Beelzemon and Lucemon glanced at each other and gave each other a quick nod. They hated the thought of working together, but it might be the only way.

"Corona Blaster!" Beelzemon attacked, shooting a huge sphere of energy from his Blaster.

"Grand Cross!" Lucemon yelled. The two attacks merged, so that there was a cross glowing inside the pink energy sphere. It hit Arukenimon, who screamed. "How could I have thought I could defeat you, the Demon Lords who destroyed the Sovereigns?!" were her last words.

Chiharu looked warily at her partner. Beelzemon had had a part in destroying the Sovereigns, the Digimon that had initially held the peace in the Digital World? Was that really true? She'd have to look it up later in her textbook.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Tsukiko showed the group where Satoru, Yuichi, Lilamon, and Wizardmon were safely hiding. Wizardmon didn't look so good.

"Are you okay?" Chiharu asked him.

"I'll be fine," he insisted, though his weak voice didn't back up his claim. He stood, leaning on his staff. "We should be going. There may still be some Dokugumon hanging around here."

The group agreed, and quickly left the castle, while Beelzemon returned to his normal form. Once they were off the mountain, they agreed to make camp for the night.

The daylight was fading, so they quickly gathered some flammable materials nearby and had BlackAgumon make a fire for them. Wizardmon and Yuichi were the first to bed, followed by Satoru, Lilamon, Hideaki, and BlackAgumon. Chiharu was deeply immersed in her textbook, or more specifically, the chapter on the rise of the Demon Lords.

_The Digital World had experienced a Golden Age of peace under the four Sovereigns, Zhuqiaomon, Azulongmon, Ebonwumon, and Baihumon. Seven Digimon, calling themselves the Demon Lords, ended that Golden Age. The Demon Lords consisted of Lucemon, Leviamon, Daemon, Lilithmon, Belphemon, Barbamon, and Beelzemon. They destroyed the four Sovereigns, taking control of the Digital World and throwing it into chaos and despair._

Chiharu had read enough for the night. She snapped her book shut and looked around, everyone else besides her and Beelzemon were already asleep. She looked at her partner in confusion.

"What?" he asked, turning to meet her stare.

"Why did you never tell me you had a hand in killing the Sovereigns?" she asked him.

"I didn't," he told her.

"Oh, really?" She raised an eyebrow. "The textbook begs to differ."

"Well, the textbook's a bunch of bullshit," he muttered, and Chiharu remembered the day that he'd been reading through that chapter and grew angry about it.

"So what really happened?" she asked.

He looked away. "I can't talk about it. It's a highly guarded secret that only me an' the other Demon Lords are supposed ta know."

She looked at him doubtfully. "Then how am I supposed to believe you if you won't tell me the truth?"

"Yer just gonna hafta trust me," he muttered.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The next day, when most of the group woke up, they all stared at Beelzemon, who was still fast asleep, snoring like a freight train.

"I'd forgotten how loud he snores," Lucemon commented. He looked at Chiharu, who was just waking up. "How did you manage to sleep through this back at the Academy?"

Chiharu sat up and pulled out an earplug. "Did you say something?"

"Ah, that explains it," was all Lucemon said.

They started walking again (except for Beelzemon and Chiharu, who rode Behemoth), wandering around until they found something when Wizardmon suddenly collapsed.

Tsukiko put a hand to his forehead and looked back at the other Digimon. "Is it possible for a Digimon to have a fever?" They nodded. "I think the virus is still in his system. He absorbed too much of it. He needs medical attention immediately, or he might not make it."

**Next time:  
Wizardmon: Don't… worry about me… I'll be fine…  
Palmon: He needs a root from the Data Tree in the forest, but that will only be half of the battle. He needs to be strong enough by himself to overcome this.  
Cherrymon: You want the root? You'll have to take it from me, first!  
Palmon: Oh, no! Cherrymon's attacking the village!  
Satoru: Don't worry, we'll handle this.  
Yuichi: Is Wizardmon… Digivolving?**

**Alright, time for a few notes: first off, some of you may be wondering why Chiharu saved Mayu when they are, in fact, enemies of a sort. Well, Chiharu's a lot like me, and if someone from school that I really didn't like was about to fall to their death, and I could stop it, I would. Especially if they were on a team of mine. I'm aware that Arukenimon's Spirit Needle is a bit different here than it is in Adventure 02. That's because there aren't any control spires, so the Digimon created has something to do with whatever material was used to make it. I think I covered the important stuff, but if there's something that you don't understand, remember: **_**ask**_**.**

**Remember: Reviews & Covers. Til next time~**


	18. Fight for the Cure

**Question 1, for Beelzemon: Is there any Digimon you consider a rival? Someone who could match you blow for blow in a fight?  
Beelzemon: There's one guy, actually. He's a Royal Knight, so we piss each other off a lot. But, yeah, I admit, Gallantmon could match me any day of the week.  
Question 2, for Hideaki: Why are you afraid of BlackAgumon Digivolving, even just to his Champion form? The odds of him becoming SkullGreymon again is almost never.  
Hideaki: You don't understand… He's my best friend, and it was scary seeing him like that. I don't want to take even the slightest chance… If he Digivolves to Champion, something might happen, triggering him to become an Ultimate again… If you were in my position, having seen that firsthand, what would you do?**

**Disclaimer: Don't own the Digimon, but the human characters, Academy, this version of the Digital World, and the history all belong to me.**

"Okay, our number one priority is to find somewhere to get some help for Wizardmon," Chiharu informed the rest of the group, who nodded in agreement. She looked at Beelzemon. "He can't walk. Do you mind if he takes my place on Behemoth?"

Beelzemon looked at her like she was crazy, but only for a moment. He'd never seen his partner so serious before. "Fine. Load 'im up."

With Tsukiko's help, the goggle-headed leader was able to pull Wizardmon up into a secure position on the back of Behemoth. "Is he going to be okay?" Yuichi asked, scared.

Chiharu wanted to tell him that it was going to be okay, but Tsukiko's words rang in her mind. _"He needs medical attention immediately, or he might not make it."_

"Don't… worry about me… I'll be fine…" the weakened Digimon tried to reassure the humans.

"Ya ain't fine," Beelzemon growled. "Now, shut up. We're gettin' you some help."

"Is there anywhere nearby that we can take him?" Satoru asked.

The two Demon Lords gave each other a quick glance. They knew the answer to that question, but neither wanted to say it.

"You two know something," Chiharu said, catching the glance. "Spill."

"Well…" Lucemon started reluctantly. "There _is_ a village nearby…"

"Why didn't you say something sooner?!" Yuichi yelled unexpectedly. He clearly didn't believe everyone's reassurances as much as they thought he did.

"Lucemon and I can't follow you guys in," Beelzemon informed them. "We messed up that village pretty bad, so they ain't gonna be happy ta see us."

"They'll just have to suck it up, then," Mayu said with a huff. She took out her D-Agent. "This should convince them that you're good guys, right?"

"Perhaps…" Lucemon mused.

"Let's just try it," Lilamon said. "Every second we waste here is a second we _could_ be using to get Wizardmon to some help."

Everyone stared at Lilamon, the truth of her words sinking in. The brunette leader turned to Beelzemon. "Go on ahead of us. You seem to know where the village is, so find it." She unhooked her D-Agent from her bag and handed it to her partner. "Show them this. They might believe you then."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Beelzemon arrived at the village entrance in mere minutes, thanks to the speeds Behemoth could reach without disturbing its riders. Wizardmon had fallen unconscious, and Beelzemon could only assume that was a bad sign.

He got off his bike and stalked up to the entrance. He wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to move Wizardmon in his condition, so he left the infected Digimon on Behemoth.

"Wh-What are you doing here?!" one of the plant Digimon cried in fear as she saw him. "I thought you were…!"

"I was," he said, as other Digimon in the village gathered around to see what the fuss was about. "Look, would ya just listen for a second? I got a friend outside that—"

"A _friend_?" another Digimon said, raising his head. "To a fiend like you? We have no intention of helping someone like that!"

"Would ya calm down already?!" the Demon Lord yelled. He pulled Chiharu's Digivice from where he stored it in his jacket. "I got a human partner now, an' she's keepin' me in line. Got it?"

The Digimon still seemed uneasy, but they were starting to listen to him. "Where is this friend of yours?" the Digimon that had first seen him asked.

"He's right outside," Beelzemon replied, pointing his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of Behemoth. "Now get him in here, or treat him out there, or _whatever_ ya hafta do."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

When the rest of the group arrived, they were surprised to see Beelzemon leaning against a tree, with Wizardmon nowhere in sight.

"Where's Wizardmon?" Yuichi asked nervously.

"Don't worry, they're checkin' him out as we speak. Took a while for them to realize I'm a good guy, but this did the talkin' for me," he told them, holding Chiharu's D-Agent. He tossed it back to her and she caught it easily. "Thanks."

"No problem." She smiled at her partner. "Thanks for taking him on ahead."

"What, ya think I'd just leave 'im there?" the Demon Lord of Gluttony asked, rolling his eyes. Though he never said it, all of the humans and their Digimon, with the exception of Mayu and Lucemon, were his friends, and while he'd never had any friends other than Behemoth before, he'd quickly discovered this fact: he was loyal to a fault when it came to his friends. He probably would have brought Wizardmon anyway, whether Chiharu had asked or not.

The group entered the village and saw numerous plant Digimon. Each human pulled out their D-Agent.

"Palmon," Hideaki read. "Rookie Level. Attacks: Poison Ivy and Plant Shock."

"Floramon, also Rookie Level," Satoru provided. "Attacks: Rain of Pollen and Stamen Rope."

Yuichi looked down at his D-Agent. "Mushroomon, Rookie Level. Attacks: Fungus Cruncher, Laughing Smasher, and Mushroom Mash."

Mayu read the information on the last Digimon. "Woodmon, Champion Level. Its attacks are Branch Drill and Woody Smash."

"We apologize for acting so suspicious," the Woodmon apologized. "The Demon Lords had destroyed this village once before. Many lives were lost, so you can understand why we were so untrusting."

"It makes sense," Chiharu agreed. "Can you help him? Wizardmon?"

Woodmon nodded. "We have our village's best healers working on him as we speak. You may stay here until he's been healed, if you wish."

"Thank you," Tsukiko said, smiling.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Yuichi laid in the surprisingly comfortable bed of leaves he and the others had been provided, staring up at the roof. His Digimon partner was suffering, and he knew that. No matter what the older kids told him, he knew something was wrong, and he couldn't sleep. He was too worried about Wizardmon. He saw up in bed, and left the hut, not noticing the two pairs of eyes watching him leave.

He entered the only hut with lights still on, recognizing it as the Medical Center, as they'd been told earlier. A Palmon was examining the Champion Digimon while a Floramon stood by if needed, like a nurse.

"Is he okay?" the young boy asked, sitting in an empty stool and staring at his motionless, unconscious partner.

The Palmon turned to him, her face full of concentration. "I'm sorry, but at this point, I can't be sure. He absorbed a lot of the virus. You said this was Dokugumon's?"

The little boy nodded. "There were a lot of them."

Palmon sighed and turned back to Floramon. "Can you go get my Book of Remedies?" she asked her assistant.

"Of course," she replied, heading toward a wooden bookcase and sifting through it. "Got it!" she said happily, lifting an old looking book from the shelf and bringing it over.

Palmon flipped through it, trying to find the right page. "A-ha! Here it is." She placed the book on the table so that Yuichi could get a good look at it. She pointed to the picture on the page. "He needs a root from the Data Tree in the forest, but that will only be half of the battle. He needs to be strong enough by himself to overcome this."

"What do you mean 'strong enough by himself'?" the boy questioned.

"He has to have the willpower to stay strong," Palmon answered. "The root can't do it all."

Yuichi looked out the window at the forest. There was a tree near the center that was larger than all the others. "Is that the Data Tree?" he asked.

"Yes," Floramon said with a nod. "That's where the cure is."

"Okay, thanks," the little boy said, getting up. He left the hut, but started walking in the opposite direction of the hut they'd been provided as sleeping quarters. In fact, he was heading for the forest.

"Hold on there, kiddo," a female voice said, and a hand grabbed the back of his T-shirt. "Where do you think you're going?"

Yuichi turned around and looked up at Tsukiko. "I'm going to get the root thingy for Wizardmon. He needs it to get better."

"That's really nice of you," the girl said, "but I can't let you go alone. It's too dangerous out there for you, especially without your partner."

Yuichi frowned. But—"

Tsukiko grinned. "I said, _alone_." She looked behind her at her partner. "C'mon, ShadowWereGarurumon, let's go."

"Are you sure it's okay to leave without telling anyone?" the Ultimate asked.

"We'll be fine," she replied. "We'll be back before they wake up. They'll never know."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"I would have thought this place would still be crawling with Digimon," Tsukiko said, surprised. They had almost reached the Data Tree, and so far, all had been quiet.

"Digimon sleep too, you know," ShadowWereGarurumon pointed out.

Yuichi was too excited to say anything. They were almost there! They almost had the thing that could cure Wizardmon!

They reached the clearing without incident. "Whoa," Tsukiko said, tilting her head back to look up at the higher branches. "That is one huge tree."

"Do you remember what the root we're looking for looks like?" ShadowWereGarurumon asked Yuichi.

"Yeah," the little boy responded, running over to the base of the tree. Tsukiko and her partner quickly followed. "Here it is!" he said with a grin, but before he could pick it up, what looked like a large hand made of wood shot forward, around the base of the tree, batting the boy away. It snatched the root and started sliding back to where it came from. The three raced after it.

What looked like a giant tree towered over them, holding the root. "What do you want?" it asked in an old voice.

"I need that root," Yuichi pleaded. "My friend, Wizardmon, got attacked by a really bad virus, and he's really sick. He can't get better without it!"

"If he doesn't get that root," Tsukiko added, "he might die. Now, hand it over, tree." She held a hand out, as though she expected him to comply.

"That's no ordinary tree," ShadowWereGarurumon told the two humans. "His name's Cherrymon, and he's an Ultimate. His attacks are Cherry Blast, Vine Attack, and Illusion Mist."

"You want the root?" Cherrymon asked, waving it in the air. "You'll have to take it from me, first! Cherry Blast!"

"Watch out!" ShadowWereGarurumon yelled, pushing the humans out of the way. He was able to avoid a direct hit, but he was still hurt nonetheless.

"ShadowWereGarurumon!" Tsukiko yelled. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he said, standing. "Just a nick."

The Beast Digimon's partner took out her D-Agent and swiped a card. "Digital Ability. Paildramon's Desperado Blaster: Connect!"

ShadowWereGarurumon thrust both palms forward. "Desperado Blaster!" he called as energy bullets shot from his palms like a machine gun. Cherrymon barely winced. "Tsukiko! It's not working!"

"I see that!" the girl replied.

"What are we going to do?"

"Vine Attack!" Cherrymon yelled, and vines wrapped around ShadowWereGarurumon, tightening their grip every second.

"Digital Enhancement. Heat: Connect!" Tsukiko swiped the card. "Please work," she added quietly.

An orange glow surrounded ShadowWereGarurumon, and he grew hotter and hotter, until eventually, Cherrymon was forced to drop him. "Full Moon Kick!" the Beast Digimon yelled before the effect of the card completely wore off. He left a slight scorch mark on the bark of his opponent.

"He's a plant," Yuichi said. "So maybe fire attacks will work on him."

Tsukiko stared at the ten year old boy. Why didn't she think of that? "Digital Ability. BlackWarGreymon's Terra Force: Connect!"

The heated energy gathered in ShadowWereGarurumon's hands, growing larger and larger until it was ready to be hurled at its target. "Terra Force!" The attack was thrown at Cherrymon, hitting him straight in the head. The tree-like Digimon fell back, knocked unconscious. His tight grip on the root loosened, and the desired item fell to the ground.

"Should we finish him?" ShadowWereGarurumon asked, looking at the other Ultimate.

Tsukiko thought for a moment. "Nah," she said. "Besides, the sun's going to be coming up soon, so we'd better get back before anyone wakes up and notices that we're gone."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

They entered the village just as the rest of the group was beginning to wake up. "Take this to Palmon, quick," Tsukiko said, handing the root to the little boy, who nodded and dashed off.

"How come you're up so bright and early?" Mayu asked the older girl, yawning.

"Eh, I just woke up early, and decided to take a walk. Yuichi got up and spent the night with Wizardmon," Tsukiko lied smoothly.

"Poor kid," Lilamon said softly. "I wonder if Wizardmon's going to be okay…"

"He'll be fine," Tsukiko said with a grin. "Just wait." She walked in to check on the two. "How's he doing?"

"The doctor's mixing the root into the medicine we need right now," Floramon assured the humans. "He'll be fine, I promise."

Yuichi looked up at Tsukiko. "Thanks for coming with me last night. I wouldn't have gotten that without your help."

"No problem," she replied. "We Digi-Destined have to stick together." She put an arm around his shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze, like an older sister would do. "Wizardmon will be fine, and then we can continue where we left off."

"What were you humans doing before you came to our village, anyway?" Floramon asked curiously.

"The Devas started attacking our world, so we had to come here to try to stop it. Right now, we're looking for any leads we can get on where they might be," Tsukiko answered.

"I'm sorry," Floramon frowned. "I don't know anything that could help you… I'm very sorry."

"No, it's okay, we only just started. We're bound to find something soon."

Palmon walked out of what looked like a mini office, holding a bowl full of green and brown mush. "What's that?" Yuichi asked, making a face.

"It's the medicine we made from the root you brought back," Palmon told them. "With this, as long as your friend has enough willpower to overcome it, Wizardmon will be just fine in a matter of hours."

"Why does it take so long?" Yuichi asked, curious.

"The root of the Data Tree contains a very potent vaccine. It has to be taken very slowly. If too much is taken at one time, it could be very dangerous. One spoonful every half hour is the recommended dose," Palmon explained.

"So, it's like a drug?" Tsukiko asked, earning a confused look from Palmon. "We use these things called drugs in the human world. Some of them are used for medicine. They're good for you, as long as you take the right dosage, but if you take too much, it can hurt you."

Palmon nodded. "Yes, that sounds very similar to the effects of the root." She fished out a spoon from a drawer, and looked at Wizardmon, who was still unconscious. "It appears I'll have to spoon-feed him, then." She sighed.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Thank you so much for letting us stay the night here," Chiharu told Woodmon, the village Elder.

"It was no trouble," the wooden Digimon told them. "I believe that helping the Digi-Destined is the duty of all decent Digimon."

"How did you know we were Digi-Destined, and not just Tamers?" Mayu asked.

Woodmon chuckled. "I don't think regular Tamers could partner so well with a pair of Demon Lords."

"So, Wizardmon is going to be okay?" Lilamon asked.

"Yes," the Elder told the group. "Since your friends retrieved the root for the medicine required to heal him, he will be just fine."

"They what?" Beelzemon asked.

"Oh, they didn't tell you? Last night, the young boy and the girl with the ShadowWereGarurumon left in search of the root from the Data Tree."

"I need to have a word with those two," Chiharu muttered, acting in her leader role yet again. She headed for the Medical Center, where Tsukiko, ShadowWereGarurumon, and Yuichi were waiting for Wizardmon to get the next dose. "What were you guys _thinking_?" she hissed.

"What are you talking about?" ShadowWereGarurumon asked, feigning innocence.

"Woodmon told me about your little trip last night. Do you know how dangerous that was? You should have woken the rest of us up! We're a _team_, remember?"

"I didn't think it would be a problem," Tsukiko shrugged. "Anyway, blame me, not the kid. I'm the one that let him go, and went with him. Besides, we only ran into a little bit of trouble."

"So you _did_ have a problem," Chiharu rolled her eyes. "What was it, anyway?"

"Well," Yuichi started, "we were attacked by—"

He was cut off by a crashing sound near the edge of the village. The Digi-Destined, along with Palmon and Floramon, left the hut to investigate.

"Oh, no!" Palmon yelled. "Cherrymon's attacking the village!"

"I knew we should have taken care of him when we had the chance!" Tsukiko's partner growled.

"Don't worry," Satoru was telling the panicked Digimon that were trying to find places to hide, "we'll handle this."

"Double Impact!" Beelzemon yelled, already at the scene. The bullets hit Cherrymon, but due to his thick bark, they didn't do much damage.

"What's your problem?!" Hideaki yelled to him. "Why are you attacking us?!"

"The girl took something I need," Cherrymon told the group. "I want the root back."

"We already used it to make the medicine," Tsukiko said. "You're too late."

"Cherry Blast!"

Tsukiko jumped out of the way just as the attack was about to hit. "Geez, why don't you just go back to the tree and get another?" She didn't receive an answer.

"Grand Cross!" Lucemon yelled, but the attack did as little damage as Beelzemon's,

"Marvel Shot!" Lilamon attacked. It had the same result.

Chiharu bit her lip. There were innocent Digimon here in this village, and if she and her friends didn't do something soon, those innocent Digimon were going to get hurt. She glanced at her deck and noticed a new card. "Digital Enhancement. Blast Mode: Connect!"

Beelzemon grinned as he sprouted the jet black wings and his right arm became a deadly weapon. Yet again, his eyes turned from red to green. "Corona Blaster!" he yelled, shooting Cherrymon right in the face, sending him back a few feet. The tides had just been turned. Just as his Blaster was charging up again, a voice halted all of them.

"Stop!" the voice said, and all turned to see Wizardmon standing weakly, leaning on his staff. Yuichi came running from behind him.

"Wizardmon, you're not ready to fight, yet!" the little boy said. "Stop it!"

"I'm fine, Yuichi," he told the boy. He looked at the rest of the group. "Cherrymon is a peaceful Digimon. If he's attacking us, he must have a good reason."

"He says he wants the root," Hideaki said. "It's a little late for that."

"How much of the medicine is left?" BlackAgumon asked.

"Not much," the Champion admitted sadly, as Cherrymon stood.

"Vine Attack!" he yelled, and the vines wrapped around Wizardmon, much like they had to Tsukiko the day before.

Everyone stared in shock. If they attacked Cherrymon now, he could easily crush their friend into tiny bits of loose data. Wizardmon began to glow, further adding to their surprise. "Is Wizardmon… Digivolving?" Yuichi asked softly.

Cherrymon was forced to drop the glowing Digimon as his form changed. When he landed, he had become his Ultimate form.

"He Digivolved into Mummymon, but… something seems different…" Lucemon observed, and Yuichi looked at his D-Agent.

"Mummymon Data Form, Ultimate Level. Attacks: Snake Bandage and Necrophobia."

"But Mummymon is usually a Virus type…" Beelzemon said, confused.

"I think I know what happened," Lilamon said, causing them all to look back at her. "Wizardmon was infected by a really bad virus. He was getting better, but Digivolved before the virus was completely gone. What if that caused him to Digivolve into a Virus type, but then the medicine took over, changing him back to a Data Type?"

"That makes sense," Chiharu said with a nod, turning back to look at the newly Digivolved Ultimate in front of her.

"Well, I don't care who you are now!" Cherrymon yelled. "You'll pay for taking the root! Cherry Blast!"

Mummymon dodged away from the constant attacks. "This is getting a bit ridiculous. Snake Bandage!" The bandages from his arms wrapped around Cherrymon, immobilizing him. "Why did you want the root?" he asked.

"There are Digimon that are suffering that need that root," Cherrymon spat.

"Take us to them," Mummymon requested.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

They were back near the Data Tree, where several Fresh and In-Training Digimon were looking very ill.

"A swarm of Dokugumon came through, from the direction of the Demon Lords' castle," Cherrymon said, giving the two in question a pointed look. "These Digimon need the root, or they'll soon succumb to the virus."

"Why couldn't you just get more at the tree?" Satoru asked.

Mummymon, who'd been circling the tree, walked over, shaking his head. "Impossible. The medicinal root is gone."

"Yes, a few days ago, a group of Digimon came through and nearly picked it clean," Cherrymon informed them. "That was the last root left."

"There's still some medicine left," Mummymon told the tree Digimon. He looked back to Beelzemon, who was still in Blast Mode. "Can you fly back to the village and get the rest of the medicine? It may be enough to save them."

"You got it," Beelzemon said.

"I'd better give you a little boost," Chiharu said. "Digital Enhancement. Speed: Connect!"

"See ya in a minute!" Beelzemon called before taking to the sky and zooming back to the village.

Mummymon turned back to the small Digimon, and Degenerated back to Wizardmon. "It's alright," he told them. "Help is on its way. Just hang in there a little bit longer."

"I apologize for acting so rashly," Cherrymon apologized. "I am the guardian of all young Digimon in this forest, and was thinking only of their safety. I hope you understand."

"We do," Wizardmon said with a nod. "I was sick as well, and my friends were trying to do the same."

Beelzemon landed moments later, holding the bowl with the medicine in it. "Got it," he said, passing it to the Champion, who seemed to know what he was doing.

"Thank you. This should be enough," he said with a nod. He treated each Digimon carefully, and then turned back to Cherrymon. "They will be fine in a matter of minutes. Can we ask for your help in return?"

"What do you need?" Cherrymon asked.

"We need to find where the Devas are hiding," Chiharu spoke up. "They attacked our world a while ago, and we're trying to stop them."

"I don't know if it's the work of the Devas," Cherrymon told them. "But something's been strange by that mountain." He pointed to a mountain in the distance. "It may lead you to the Devas."

"Thanks," Chiharu said, getting ready to leave.

"No, thank you," Cherrymon replied. "You saved lives today."

Beelzemon smirked. "Hey, it's what we do."

**Next time:  
Beelzemon: Dammit, not good! Not good!  
Hideaki: Not again… please, no… Not again…  
SkullGreymon: **_**What am I doing? They're my friends…**_**  
Chiharu: Wait a minute… what's he doing?  
Lucemon: Ah, it's been quite a while, hasn't it?**

**Woot! I liked this chapter (but not as much as the last one). In case you were wondering about Wizardmon's Digivolution route, I had to follow the one from the Digimon Dawn/Dusk games, otherwise he'd wind up as Dynasmon, and for groups such as the Demon Lords, Royal Knights, Devas, etc. I wanted there to only be one of each Digimon, and the Headmaster is partnered with Dynasmon. **_**And**_**, since Wizardmon's a Data type, and Mummymon's a Virus type, I had to find a way around is, thus came Mummymon Data Form. Here are the differences between him and regular Mummymon:  
-he doesn't have the spiked on his shoulders  
-his bandages are white, as opposed to the original yellowish color  
-his head bandana matches the color of Wizardmon's cloak, as opposed to… whatever color it really is  
-his gun and the two hook thingies match the color of Wizardmon's clothes under the cloak  
-what little skin you see under the cloak is a lighter grey than the original  
-his eye is green, not yellow  
Sorry if you don't like that whole thing, but I **_**did**_** try to come up with an explanation for it, so please don't criticize me for that. Also, to clear a little something up: Wizardmon Digivolved due to the danger he was in with the virus combined with Cherrymon's attack. Once he was able to be sure that it was safe again, he Degenerated. He wanted to stay at Champion Level most of the time because his partner is just a little kid, so he believes that Yuichi would prefer it that way.**

**Covers & Questions, please~ Until next time, folks~**


	19. Facing Your Fears

**Question 1: Lucemon, are you aware of where the other Demon Lords are?  
Lucemon: Yes. The other five were reconfigured at the same time I was. Judging by the fact that **_**both**_** my Egg and Beelzemon's were being held at the Academy, it only stands to reason that the others are there as well. Good job, Elisa, for forgetting about this before.  
Me: Shut up.  
Question 2: Well, I don't know if this really **_**counts**_** as a question, but someone that just started reading asked if this was going to be ChiharuxBeelzemon.  
Me: **_**NO.**_** As you have seen from way back in Episode 13, I think, Chiharu now has a boyfriend. Beelzemon is her partner and closest friend, just like any other Digi-Destined and their partner.**

**Disclaimer: You know the drill by now, I hope?**

Now that Wizardmon was cured, they were back on track, and headed for the mountain Cherrymon had directed them to.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Yuichi asked his partner for about the fifth time.

"Yes, I promise. I'm fine," Wizardmon said with a chuckle.

"I get the feeling we're going to be dealing with a lot of mountains," Satoru predicted. They weren't much closer than when they'd left hours ago. The mountain was much further away than it had looked.

"Well, let's just keep going, then," Chiharu said.

Mayu rolled her eyes. "Easy for you to say, when you get to ride on a giant bike."

Chiharu ignored the comment. Instead, her eyes were toward the sky, noticing the sun going down. "Alright, we're going to have to stop and make camp for the night soon," she announced, earning a cheer from the others. They were tired of walking and desperately needed a rest.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"_This ain't lookin' good!" Beelzemon yelled back to the other Demon Lords. Their energy was being sapped from the dark force that was their opponent._

"_No, really, you think?!" Lilithmon called back sarcastically. "I thought it was going splendidly!"_

"_Shut up!" Daemon yelled, sick of the bickering. They could very well die here, and they were arguing as though it were a regular Tuesday._

"_He's right," Lucemon said with a nod. "We need to focus on the task at hand."_

_Beelzemon's hands went to the Berenjena. They were more than likely going to lose their lives today, but if that was the price they had to pay, then so be it. He wasn't _accepting_ death, exactly, but he had to acknowledge the risks or leave before it was too late. But if any of them left, it was all over. It would take all seven of them… and even then, it might not be enough._

"_You'd better be ready!" Leviamon yelled to the rest of the group as the oncoming shadow snuffed out all traces of light. "Here it comes again!"_

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Beelzemon bolted upright, having just awoken from a dream, or rather, a nightmare from the past. He shook his head to clear the thoughts from it, and then noticed Lucemon, who was also awake.

"You dreamt about it too, didn't you?" the Fallen Angel asked his adversary. The Demon Lord of Gluttony nodded.

"You, too, huh? Wonder if it means anything…" Beelzemon mused.

"I'd hope not," Lucemon muttered. "Because if it does, we may not make it this time."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu woke up to see Beelzemon already leaning against Behemoth. Occasionally, he and Lucemon would send each other uneasy glances, which confused the girl, but she said nothing. She'd learned quite a while ago that she wasn't going to get any answers about the important stuff out of him.

"We haven't seen any Devas since that attack on the school," BlackAgumon said. "I don't like it. It's seems a little suspicious…"

"He's right," Hideaki said. "They could be planning something horrible right now."

The leader nodded. "That's why we have to get to that mountain," she told them. "If Cherrymon was right, then something fishy's going on up there, and it might have a connection with the Devas."

"Ugh, even more walking?" Mayu complained. Everyone looked like they were about to say something, but she interjected. "I know, I know. It's the shoes." Everyone else laughed.

"At least you acknowledge it," Lilamon said with a smile. "Maybe we can find a market or something after this and get you some new shoes made." She looked at the goggle-headed brunette. "Is that okay with you?"

"Fine with me," Chiharu answered. "But do they really make stuff like that here in the Digital World?"

"Not very often," ShadowWereGarurumon stated. "But a lot of markets have at least one vendor that can make all kinds of stuff on the spot."

"For the right price, of course," Wizardmon added. "And I don't think you brought any money with you."

"Even if they did," Lucemon said, "human currency isn't worth much here in the Digital World. It's like play money."

"Does that mean we won't be able to buy any food when we get hungry, either?" Tsukiko asked.

"If we can't buy it," Satoru suggested, "maybe we can find it."

"He's right," Lilamon nodded. "There's plenty of fruit growing just about everywhere, and there are fish you can catch, too."

"Would digital fish even be filling?" Mayu pondered.

"Ya gotta remember, yer data too, right now," Beelzemon pointed out. "Data feeds data. It'll be just like eatin' in the Real World."

"Alright," Mayu said. "But that mountain's just rocks. What are we supposed to eat there, huh?"

"I've still got a few lunches left," Yuichi said.

Chiharu patted her bag. "And I've got some fruit and stuff that the Digimon from the village gave us."

"They gave us fruit?" Tsukiko asked. "When did that happen?"

"Early in the morning," the brunette answered. "It must have been while you were still asleep from _sneaking out_ the night before."

Tsukiko, despite being the oldest, stuck her tongue out at the younger girl childishly.

"Oh, real mature," ShadowWereGarurumon said with a chuckle.

"Shouldn't we be going now?" Wizardmon asked. "The sooner we start walking, the sooner we'll reach the mountain."

"He's right," Beelzemon said with a nod. "Alright, let's get goin'!" he got on Behemoth, as did Chiharu, and then they were off.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

A pair of shadows watched the group from afar, but they never lost sight of the humans and Digimon that they were tracking. They couldn't let the Digi-Destined reach the mountain.

"Shall we attack now?" one asked with a female voice.

"No. For now, we wait. The time will come soon, don't worry," the other responded in a male voice.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Is anyone else getting that really creepy feeling that we're being followed?" Lilamon asked, looking over her shoulder.

"You could be just imagining it," ShadowWereGarurumon suggested.

"That's what you said about the Dokugumon back at the castle," Lilamon answered dryly. "Was Hideaki just _imagining_ those, when they attacked us and nearly killed Wizardmon?"

"They definitely weren't imaginings," Wizardmon said, shaking his head. "I think I know that better than the rest of you."

"Just keep an eye out, then," Chiharu finally said. She unhooked her D-Agent from her bag. "And keep these handy, too, just in case."

As the group continued on, Beelzemon looked over his shoulder at Hideaki and BlackAgumon. He turned back to his partner and muttered, "Maybe we should find some way to send him back home."

"What do you mean?" Chiharu asked, surprised.

"He's too afraid of BlackAgumon turning into SkullGreymon again to join in any battle. The way things are, he's a dead weight to us right now." He caught the look his partner sent him. "Don't give me that look. Ya know you were thinkin' it too, just like everyone else."

"I'm not going to just dismiss him like that, though," Chiharu told her partner, shaking her head. "He just needs time."

"He's had time," Beelzemon protested. "He needs ta—" The Demon Lord was cut off as an arrow flew past, inches to their left.

"Who's attacking us _now_?" Chiharu asked, exasperated as she looked behind them. She realized that she should be more worried about the situation, but having spent so much time around Beelzemon, his fearless nature was starting to rub off on her.

Two Digimon were charging at them. They vaguely reminded Chiharu of centaurs, in that they had the lower body of a four-legged animal, and a humanoid torso. That was where the similarities ended, however. One resembled a bull, while the other resembled a sheep.

"No data…" Tsukiko muttered, staring at her D-Agent. "Are these guys Devas like those other two we couldn't read?"

"Ya hit the nail on the head," Beelzemon said with a nod.

"Treasure Bow!" the sheep called out, and another arrow was shot in their direction.

"That's Pajiramon," Beelzemon informed them. "Since she's a Deva, she's an Ultimate, and her attacks are Treasure Bow and Thunder Stomp."

"And the bull is Vajramon," Lucemon added. "His attacks are Terra Blade and Deva Blade."

Chiharu looked at BlackAgumon. "We ran into some Devas. Are you happy now?"

The Rookie rolled his eyes.

"Deva Blade!" Vajramon yelled, striking at Wizardmon, who dodged out of the way just in time.

"Yuichi!" the Champion yelled, signally that he needed help.

"Right!" the little boy called back, pulling the card from his deck. "Digital Enhancement. Digivolve: Connect!"

"Wizardmon Digivolve to… Mummymon!" The newly Digivolved Ultimate took a quick step to the side to avoid getting hit by a blade. "Snake Bandage!" he yelled, and the bandages caught both of the Deva's arms, immobilizing his attacks.

"Treasure Bow!" Pajiramon yelled, and her attack went through the bandages that were binding Vajramon, freeing him.

"Grand Cross!" Lucemon attacked, but both Devas dove to the side, avoiding any damage.

"Terra Blade!" Vajramon yelled, digging his swords into the ground, creating large fissures.

Hideaki watched the battle, afraid. He took a few deep breaths. _You have to get over this sometime, dude,_ he told himself. _Might as well be now._ "Digital Enhancement. Digivolve: Connect!"

"BlackAgumon Digivolve to… DarkTyrannomon!"

The rest of the Digi-Destined group turned to smile at the boy. He'd finally overcome his fear enough to let his Digimon fight again.

"Un Deux Pollen!" Lilamon called out, beginning the dance that would start her paralyzing attack. Before she finished, however, one of Vajramon's blades hit her, knocking her to the side.

"Lilamon!" Satoru yelled. "Digital Ability. Elecmon's Super Thunder Strike: Connect!"

Electric energy collected in the plant Digimon's hands. "Super Thunder Strike!" Two identical beams of electricity shot to her opponents, earning a direct hit.

"Double Impact!" Beelzemon attacked, but the Devas moved with such speed that only about half of his bullets hit.

Pajiramon looked at Vajramon, who nodded. They both charged toward DarkTyrannomon, whom they'd chosen as a target for both of them.

"Deva Blade!"

"Thunder Stomp!"

Both attacks hit the Champion head on, sending him backwards. Hideaki watched in horror. The more he was attacked, and the more danger he was in, the more likely it was that he would Digivolve into SkullGreymon again. He raised his D-Agent, desperate to help his partner, but his hands were shaking badly. "Digital Enhancement…" he started, but froze when he saw a familiar glow surround DarkTyrannomon. Seconds later, SkullGreymon took his place.

"Dammit!" Beelzemon yelled, seeing the large Digimon in front of them. "Not good! Not good!"

"Kid, try and find something to—kid?" Tsukiko looked at the boy who'd completely frozen up.

"Not again…" he whispered. "Please, no… Not again…"

"Well, he's going to be no help," Lucemon muttered. Now they had the Devas _and_ their out of control friend to deal with.

"Dark Shot!" the skeletal dinosaur Digimon yelled, and his attack headed straight toward the Devas that were after him. That pushed them back. "Curse Breath!" he added, and the attack, combined with damage from the previous ones, destroyed them, leaving a pair of Eggs in their place.

"At least he destroyed them for us," Beelzemon pointed out as SkullGreymon turned his large head toward the group.

"Yeah, and now he's after us!" Mayu said.

"I hate to do this to a friend," Mummymon said. "Snake Bandage!" His attack wrapped around one of SkullGreymon's arms, but the large Digimon shook him off as though it was nothing.

"Un Deux Pollen!" Lilamon tried the attack that she'd attempted against the Devas, but was batted aside. When Lucemon approached, he, too, was batted away like a fly.

"Dammit," Beelzemon muttered. He didn't want to look like the bad guy, especially because his attacks could very well destroy his teammate. But, in their situation, what choice did he have? "Chiharu," he said, drawing his partner's attention.

"What?"

"Blast Mode," he requested, and she nodded.

"Digital Enhancement. Blast Mode: Connect!" she yelled, swiping the card that would give Beelzemon a huge power boost.

He took to the sky and circled the large Digimon, just out of his reach.

"Dark Shot!" SkullGreymon attacked again, but Beelzemon narrowly escaped each missile.

"Corona Blaster!" the Demon Lord of Gluttony said as the energy charger in his Blaster. It flew at full force toward his target, who took the blast head on.

"Full Moon Kick!" ShadowWereGarurumon attacked while the other Ultimate's attention was elsewhere. SkullGreymon swiveled his head to look straight at ShadowWereGarurumon, but the Ultimate jumped out of the way before he could be swatted like the others.

"Double Dark Shot!" the large Digimon called out, and twin missiles fired from his spine. One targeted ShadowWereGarurumon, while the other honed in on Beelzemon.

"Corona Blaster!" Beelzemon yelled again, destroying the missile heading straight for him. "This is gettin' ridiculous," he muttered. He looked at Lucemon. "Hey, can you do that Ultimate Sacrifice trick like last time?" he asked.

Lucemon shook his head. He hadn't taken a direct hit from SkullGreymon, but he _had_ been hit rather harshly and hit the ground hard. He was in no condition to produce such a powerful attack.

"Dammit, we're runnin' outta options, here!" He looked over at Hideaki, who was still frozen. "Do something! He's _your_ partner!"

Hideaki seemed to snap out of his frightened daze. The Demon Lord was right. He may be out of control, but the fact of the matter was that SkullGreymon, somewhere deep inside, was still Hideaki's partner, his best friend. He couldn't give up on him. "SkullGreymon!" he managed to yell, and the Digimon looked back at the boy. Hideaki froze for a moment again, petrified with fear. A long, skeletal arm reached out and grabbed the Digi-Destined, grip slowly tightening. "You… have to stop…" he whispered.

SkullGreymon seemed to pause. Something was nagging at him, in his mind which was usually filled with hatred and anger. Was it… regret? But why? A small voice spoke in the back of his mind. _What am I doing?_ The voice asked him. Was this his voice? Was SkullGreymon actually thinking? _They're my friends…_

Beelzemon watched as the Ultimate's grip tightened around the human boy, squeezing the life out of him until there would be nothing left. He had to do something, and fast. Energy was charging in his Blaster, more energy than he'd ever accumulated before. He may have to destroy his friend, but what choice did he have? A Digimon could be reconfigured, even if they didn't remember their past life. Once a human was gone… that was it.

But Chiharu noticed the sudden hesitation in the so-called killed. "Wait a minute…" she said softly. "What's he doing?" She looked closely at the scene in front of her. "Beelzemon! Don't attack!"

"What the—? But he's gonna—!"

"No, he's not!" the leader yelled back. "Just watch!"

SkullGreymon stared at the boy in his hand. He'd loosened his grip enough for Hideaki to be able to breathe again. So many conflicting thoughts ran through his mind. _Spare the boy. You're a killer, do it. But he's a friend. What good are friends? Friends support you. You can support yourself._ One final thought, however, decided the matter:

_**He. Is. My. Partner.**_

Slowly, the red haze faded from SkullGreymon's vision, and his anger subsided. He could think clearly now. He set Hideaki down gently, being careful so as not to hurt his partner any further. He felt the tug, however, of the instincts he'd just overcome. He might not last long against them. He had to do something fast, to keep his friends safe, but he wasn't able to Degenerate. He still had too much energy and unused data to be able to become a Rookie again. His resolve, however, brought about what some would consider a small miracle.

"SkullGreymon Digivolve to… BlackWarGreymon!"

Hideaki's eyes widened at the dark colored Mega in front of him. Was this really his partner now? He remembered his first day at the Academy, when he'd looked through the cards and saw one of BlackWarGreymon. He'd commented that the Digimon had looked cool, and now his partner had become the very Mega he'd admired. "BlackWarGreymon… are you…?"

He nodded. "I'm fine now. I'm really sorry about that, I… I couldn't control myself."

"It's okay," the human assured him. "I knew you didn't mean it."

"There was some sort of instinct that took over my sense of reason," he explained. "I couldn't think straight, and all I wanted to do was destroy."

Now that he was sure that the danger was over, Beelzemon landed, changing back from Blast Mode. "What do we do with those?" he asked, jerking his thumb toward the two Eggs that had once been Pajiramon and Vajramon.

"I'll just take them off your hands!" they heard a familiar, annoying voice yell to them. They all turned to see a large green dragon Digimon flying toward them, but their attention was focused on the Digimon's passenger. Makuramon was holding onto one of the Digimon's feet with one hand. As they passed the group, he scooped up the two Eggs with his free arm.

"That damn monkey…!" Beelzemon hissed, drawing the Berenjena and sorely wishing that he was still in Blast Mode. "Double Impact!" he yelled, but they were too far away now, and the bullets missed. "Dammit…"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"That's so cool that you Digivolved to Mega!" Hideaki exclaimed happily. Now he didn't have to worry about his partner becoming an out of control monster again.

"Yep, I'm awesome," BlackWarGreymon agreed, nodding.

"Well, then, Mr. Awesome, I'm sure you wouldn't mind helping set up camp for the night?" Tsukiko asked, causing the others to laugh lightly. They'd stopped for the day, and they were much closer to the mountain than they'd been than morning, despite the interruption.

"So, what do you think Makuramon wants with those Deva Eggs?" Mayu asked.

"Maybe he wants to make a super omelet," Tsukiko joked.

"Let's not make jokes here," Chiharu said. "This could be _really_ serious. I mean, what if he's going to wait until they hatch again and have them all attack us again?"

"What? Yer thinkin' that Makuramon's the one planning this whole thing?" Beelzemon asked with a snort.

"He may be sly and cunning," Lucemon added, "but he is not very capable of getting others to follow him. No, if he's the one leading the Devas, then there has to be someone else pulling the strings on the Devas."

"Ogudomon?" Chiharu suggested.

"It's possible," Lucemon spoke. "But there are many other possibilities as well."

"Why don't we worry about all that tomorrow?" Satoru asked. "I'm not sure someone can stay up much later than this." He nodded to Yuichi, who was dozing off against Wizardmon's back. Chiharu couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"Alright, we'll come back to this tomorrow. Let's get some shut eye, everyone."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

As they neared the mountain, they heard a loud rumbling coming from the loud landmark, and saw occasional movement, but it was never clear as to what was occupying the mountain. Only Beelzemon and Lucemon seemed unafraid.

"Ah, it's been quite a while, hasn't it?" Lucemon murmured softly.

"Fer however long we've been gone, at least," Beelzemon said with a nod as the movement continued. Suddenly, a large shape flew from the mountain and circled around in the air. It was hard to see what it was, but they got a clear view when the creature landed in front of them.

"What is that…?" Mayu asked, terrified. All the Digi-Destined, and all Digimon excluding the Demon Lords had gone deathly still. The creature was _very_ large, and looked menacing. It was mostly a dark purple, but its claws were a pale gold, and it had a mask of some sort to match. It had a large mouth full of several pointy teeth.

"That," Lucemon announced, "is the Shadowlord."

**Next time:  
Mayu: So, this Shadowlord thing's on our side, right?  
Lucemon: Of course. It **_**is**_** an extension of myself, after all.  
Satoru: It's not half-bad in a fight.  
Makuramon: Sir, we… we have a problem. The children and their Digimon… Lucemon has reunited with the Shadowlord.  
?: Destroy it before they can join together again. We cannot allow Lucemon to return to full strength. It will ruin everything.**

**Sorry if this seemed kinda short, but I wanted to get this done. I have to get **_**way**_** ahead, because I'm going to Europe in a little under a week, so I needed to try to get ahead enough so that my friend can post the updates for me. I might not have all three done, though, so I'm **_**really**_** sorry if that happens to be the case. Feel free to still ask questions in your reviews. Obviously, Episodes 20-22 won't be able to have answers to said questions, but I'll answer all of them in 23, when I get back, though, depending on how bad my jetlag is, it **_**may**_** have to be posted a day late. I'm really sorry, guys, but please bear with me on this.**

**Anyway, I'll be eagerly awaiting your reviews when I get back~ See you later, my friends~**


	20. One Once Again

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Digimon, but I own the plotline, humans, Academy, history, etc. Got it?**

"So, this Shadowlord thing's on our side, right?" Mayu asked, staring up at the large digital beast in front of the group.

"Of course," Lucemon replied, rolling his eyes. "It _is_ an extension of myself, after all."

"I'm not getting any data on this thing," Chiharu muttered, staring at her blank D-Agent.

"Well, of course not," Beelzemon said with a laugh. "It ain't a _real_ Digimon, so that thing ain't gonna know what it is."

"It doesn't have a 'level', but it can hold its own in a battle," Lucemon informed them. He walked over to the digital beast, which bowed its head. "It has attacks called Nihilism Maelstrom, Tide of Despair, and Dimension Slasher."

"Hey, Lucemon?" Chiharu asked, looking at the Demon Lord of Pride. "Can you get it to do something for us?"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"This thing is really creepy," Mayu said with a shudder.

"Would you rather we keep walking?" Tsukiko asked, lying on her back with her hands behind her head. The Shadowlord was their new mode of transportation, being large enough to carry all of the Digi-Destined. "Especially with your shoes," the older girl added with a smirk.

"I get it!" Mayu huffed. "Fine, can we stop at one of those market things?"

Chiharu shrugged. "I don't see why not. Anyone know where we can find one?"

"There used ta be one near the Valley of Ebonwumon," Beelzemon informed them. "But that was years and years ago."

"Where's the 'Valley of Ebonwumon'?" Satoru asked, but the Shadowlord was already turning, before flying off in a seemingly random direction.

"_What_ is the Valley of Ebonwumon?" Yuichi asked.

"Back when the Digital World was ruled by the four Sovereigns—" Lucemon started.

"Before the Demon Lords destroyed them," Lilamon muttered.

"I told ya, it wasn't us!" Beelzemon hissed.

Lucemon sighed, ignoring the interruption. "Each Sovereign had their own domain. Ebonwumon controlled the north, Zhuqiaomon ruled the south, Azulongmon had power over the east, and Baihumon was the ruler of the west. In their domain, the Sovereigns each had a specific area that was their home. These were the Volcano of Zhuqiaomon, the Mountain of Azulongmon, the Forest of Baihumon, and the Valley of Ebonwumon. There were small civilizations surrounding each landmark, but after the death of the Sovereigns, most of these civilizations dispersed. Only the Valley of Ebonwumon has any semblance of an organized occupancy."

"Alright, sounds like a good idea," Chiharu said with a nod. "Maybe we can get some more information there. I mean, _someone_ in this world has to know _something_."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

They arrived about fifteen minutes later. To avoid unnecessary attention, the Shadowlord landed a little ways away from the marker/village, out of sight. The group got off and started walking again.

Once they reached the market, all eyes were on them. Or, more specifically, on Lucemon and Beelzemon. "What are you two doing here?" a Digimon that looked like it was made entirely of rocks asked. "Haven't you done enough destruction here?"

"Yeah," another said. This one looked like a large, yellow ape. "You've already destroyed the Sovereigns, what more could you want here?"

"And how did you get here in the first place? Last I heard, the Demon Lords were destroyed!" another hissed. This one looked like some weird, orange armored, humanoid bug.

"It wasn't—ugh, I give up," Beelzemon growled.

"Gotsumon," Chiharu muttered, ignoring her partner as she read from her D-Agent. "Rookie Level. Attacks: Rock Fist, Crazy Crusher, Hardest Punch, and Earth Shaker."

"Apemon," Mayu read. "Champion Level. Attacks: Mega Bone Stick and Metallic Fur."

"That last one's Shadramon," Satoru announced. "It's... Armor Level? What does that mean?"

"An Armor Digimon is a Digimon that uses a special kind of Digi-Egg to Digivolve," Wizardmon told them.

Yuichi looked confused. "A special kind of Egg?"

"Yeah," BlackWarGreymon said. "A long time ago, Crests were made to represent a bunch of different positive characteristics. Eventually, these Crests were put into 'empty' Digi-Eggs, giving any Digimon who found them the ability to Armor Digivolve."

"Alright," Satoru said. "Anyway, his attacks are Flash Buster, Psychic Wave, and Serrated Screw."

"Look, they're not here to hurt you, and neither are we," Tsukiko told the distressed Digimon. She held up her D-Agent for all to see. "See? We're Digi-Destined. Beelzemon is Chiharu's partner, and Lucemon is Mayu's." She motioned to each girl in turn.

A few Digimon eyed the girls suspiciously, but then Shadramon noticed Satoru. "Look," he said, alerting the other Digimon. "He's wearing the uniform of that school in the Digital World. You know, the one where children partner with Digimon to help us."

"And I heard somewhere that an orange uniform _does_ mean they're Digi-Destined," Gotsumon added.

"What do you need here?" Apemon asked as the mood of the crowd drastically changed.

"A few things, actually," Chiharu told them. "First off, is there anyone here capable of making human clothing?"

"I can," Shadramon assured them. "What do you need?"

"Shoes," Mayu told him. "These aren't really the best for walking." She motioned down to the pair she was wearing.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do. Come with me, please," the Armor Digimon said, beckoning her to follow him.

"What else do you need?" Gotsumon asked.

"We'd like some information," Tsukiko told the Digimon. "Our world was attacked by Devas a while ago, and that's why we came here. We want to put a stop to their attacks at the source."

"But we don't know where to find them," Satoru added. "And we have no leads."

"And the Devas may be following someone else's rule," Lilamon jumped in. "We need any information we can get."

"I'm not sure who the Devas would be working for," Apemon started, "and I don't know where they're based, but they have a patrolling pattern around the four Sovereign homes. Once a week, Sandiramon travels through here. The Devas are starting to take over the Digital World in a way very similar to that of the Demon Lords."

"Doubt it," Beelzemon muttered.

"Mihiramon takes the Mountain of Azulongmon, Sinduramon patrols the Forest of Baihumon, and Indramon takes the Volcano of Zhuqiaomon," Gotsumon added.

"Thank you," Wizardmon said. "That helps us very much."

"When does Sandiramon show up here next?" ShadowWereGarurumon asked.

"Tomorrow morning," another Digimon told them, walking over. "He wrecks this place every time he returns. I may be selfish in asking this, but… will you please stay and stop him tomorrow?"

"Of course," Chiharu told her. "That's not selfish to ask. That's the kind of thing we do. Who knows? Maybe we can get some information from him."

"Thank you so much!" the small pink Digimon said happily before leaving.

"Her name's Bucchiemon, and she's another Armor Digimon," Yuichi said.

"She's adorable," Chiharu commented. She looked back at the rest of the group just as Mayu walked back. She now wore comfortable-looking, yet fashionable sneakers. Chiharu quickly filled her in on the new information. "So," she finished, "I think they're going to let us stay the night here, and in the morning, we'll stop Sandiramon from causing this place any more damage, and maybe get some information out of him."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"So, what are we in for tomorrow?" Chiharu asked Beelzemon as they got settled for the night.

"Well, Sandiramon's got some pretty nasty attacks, Venom Axe and Treasure Lance," Beelzemon told her.

BlackWarGreymon looked at the two. "We should lead him away from here, first. We don't want to damage the market in our battle."

"He's right," Hideaki said with a nod. "I think we should get his attention when he first heads this way, so that he's focused on us. Then, he'll be focused on us, and probably chase us when we leave."

"Sandiramon always did have a one track mind," Lucemon commented.

"So, are we all clear on the plan?" Chiharu asked, earning a nod from everyone. "Alright, good. Now, let's get some shut-eye so that we'll be ready tomorrow."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"He's coming!"

Chiharu woke up groggily to see Bucchiemon frantically trying to wake them all up. "Come on, he'll be here in just a few minutes!"

"Okay, okay, we're up," Hideaki mumbled, sitting up. Once the group was conscious enough to do anything, they headed for the entrance and saw a large white snake Digimon approaching the market quickly.

"That's Sandiramon, I'm guessing?" Mayu asked.

"You got it," Beelzemon replied. "Double Impact!" He fired, and as planned, the attack caught the Deva's attention.

"My Lordsss," the snake Deva hissed. "What a pleasssure."

"Pleasure, my ass," Beelzemon muttered. "Alright, we ready?" he asked the others.

"Yeah," they all replied, and moved away from the market, every so often, firing an attack to keep his attention on them.

"Venom Axe!" Sandiramon attacked, narrowly missing the Digi-Destined and their partners.

Once they were far enough away from the market, Lucemon smirked. "Time for a new battle strategy," he said softly, and much like how Beelzemon had done to call Behemoth, Lucemon let out a quick, shrill whistle. This time, the children had a vague idea as to what Lucemon was doing. Their guesses were confirmed when a large shadow appeared over them, and Sandiramon looked up to meet the gaze of the Shadowlord. It opened its gaping maw and the children and their Digimon watched, stunned, as a long stream of dark purple fire shot from the Shadowlord's mouth, straight at the Deva. Sandiramon's eyes widened, and he slithered out of the way, though he couldn't fully escape the damage.

"I sssee you have the SSShadowlord now," the snake Deva hissed. "Thisss complicatesss thingsss."

"That is getting really annoying," Mayu muttered.

"Definitely," Chiharu agreed. She looked at Beelzemon. "How come you stopped attacking? You love fighting."

"Yeah," Beelzemon agreed, "but this is getting interesting."

Indeed, it was. The Shadowlord had started circling Sandiramon, dodging every attack sent its way at the last second, taunting its opponent. A devilish grin crossed its mouth full of long, razor-sharp teeth. The golden 'mask' glowed, and a black beam shot out from it, hitting Sandiramon head on, destroying the Deva.

"That was… fast…" Lilamon said, shocked. The Shadowlord landed in front of them, looking at Lucemon expectantly.

The Demon Lord of Pride walked over to his 'pet' and ran his hand along its side. It took a moment for the humans to realize that he was petting it.

"Is he…?" Chiharu started.

"Yep," Beelzemon replied. "That thing's basically his pet."

Lucemon looked back at the rest of them. "It was so fast," he said, answering an earlier question, "because Nihilism Maelstrom is its equivalent of my Ultimate Sacrifice."

"Guaranteed critical damage or instant death…" Wizardmon muttered.

"Should we get back to the market and tell everyone that everything's okay now?" Satoru suggested.

Their leader nodded. "Let's take that with us," she added, nodding toward the Egg of the snake Deva. "We don't want Makuramon getting his hands on it. We have no idea what he's planning to do with them, but it can only be something bad."

ShadowWereGarurumon, being the closest to it, grabbed the Egg, and they headed back to the market to deliver the good news. Little did they know, however, they were being watched.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Makuramon was down on one knee in a deep bow. His upper body was tilted downward, and one fist was on the ground, while his other arm rested on his knee. "Sir, we…" he started hesitantly. His current 'Master' didn't like failure, and what he didn't like, he destroyed. "We have a problem. The children and their Digimon…" He paused. He had to think careful about how to word the awful news. Perhaps the right wording would spare his life. "Lucemon has reunited with the Shadowlord."

"You mean they've become whole?!" the mysterious Master yelled, enraged.

"N-No!" Makuramon answered hastily. "They've only just recently found the Shadowlord. He's still a separate being from Lucemon himself."

The Master seemed to calm, if only slightly. "Destroy it before they can join together again," he commanded. "We cannot allow Lucemon to return to full strength. It will ruin everything."

"Understood," the monkey Deva said. He couldn't mess this up. He couldn't afford another failure.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"You mean… we're saved?" Shadramon asked, stunned. They market had been attacked for so long that the thought of peace finally settling the area was almost unreal.

"Yeah," Tsukiko told them. "See?" She pointed to the Egg that ShadowWereGarurumon carried. "That's Sandiramon's Egg. You don't have to worry about him ever again."

"Thank you… thank you so much…" Bucchiemon said with tears in her eyes.

"No problem," Chiharu said with a smile.

"If there's anything you ever need, feel free to come back and ask," Apemon told the Digi-Destined.

"We'll remember that," Hideaki said.

The group turned to leave the market. Their business was done, and they needed to move on.

"Where next, oh 'Fearless Leader'?" Mayu asked Chiharu sarcastically. The other four humans looked at each other, slightly shocked. Yes, Mayu had still spoken with their leader sarcastically, but the question lacked the venom that usually laced her voice when she spoke with Chiharu.

"I'm thinking we should check out the other Sovereign regions," the goggle-headed girl answered. "That way, we can get rid of more Devas, and even get some _information_ this time." She sent Lucemon and the Shadowlord a pointed look. The Demon Lord merely shrugged in response.

They all got on the Shadowlord and headed south. They'd been riding in silence when Yuichi noticed something. "What's that?" he asked, pointing at the ground.

When Beelzemon and Lucemon saw what was on the ground, they sent each other an annoyed glance. "We'd better get this over with and outta the way," Beelzemon groaned.

"What?" Chiharu asked. "What is it?"

"Reapermon," the Demon Lord of Gluttony replied, and the leader's eyes widened. She remembered that day where Ogudomon attacked, and Beelzemon, back when he was still Impmon, had mentioned that Reapermon used to be under their control. And since they Devas had once worked for them and were now their enemies, it was safe to assume that the same was true of Reapermon.

"Take us down," the brunette said, and the Shadowlord complied. As soon as they landed, their fears were confirmed.

"Yep, that's Reapermon, all right," Hideaki said, staring at his D-Agent, which gave a 3-D image of the metallic Digimon in front of them. "He's a Mega, and his attacks are Grim Slasher, Burning Cyclone, and Bone Duster."

"Grim Slasher!" the Mega yelled, skipping all pleasantries. It swung the large sickle that replaced its right hand at the children.

"Watch out!" BlackWarGreymon yelled, and the group dispersed, avoiding the attack.

"Alright, now it's our turn," Tsukiko said angrily. ShadowWereGarurumon set down Sandiramon's Egg and fell into a fighting stance. "Digital Enhancement," she started, and all the others did the same. "Speed: Connect!" they yelled, all using the same card.

"Digital Enhancement. Digivolve: Connect!" Yuichi yelled.

"Wizardmon Digivolve to… Mummymon!"

"Digital Enhancement. Blast Mode: Connect!"

"Corona Blaster!" Beelzemon yelled, sending his attack straight for their opponent. Reapermon responded by raising his sickle to block the attack.

The Shadowlord, which had flown behind Reapermon, opened its mouth and attacked with its Tide of Despair. The metallic Digimon, not prepared for it, was damaged by the attack.

"Marvel Shot!" Lilamon yelled, aiming for Reapermon's head.

"Burning Cyclone!" The Mega began spinning rapidly, creating a wind that buffeted everyone nearby. Lilamon's attack was shot back at her.

"Lilamon!" Satoru yelled.

"I… I'm okay," she said, standing after having been knocked to the ground. "Don't worry about me."

"Snake Bandage!"

"Full Moon Kick!"

"Grand Cross!"

"Terra Force!"

The four attacks hit Reapermon at once, making him stumble backwards a few steps. "I think we're winning!" ShadowWereGarurumon exclaimed as the Shadowlord approached their opponent from behind again.

"Never assume anything in a battle," Reapermon said, and turned around to face the Shadowlord. He grabbed the beast's neck and tightened its grip, refusing to let the Shadowlord go. "Grim Slasher!" it yelled, and its sickle flew down to meet its neck. The humans and their Digimon partners watched in horror and data slowly started breaking off from the digital creature. "My primary duty here is complete. Now, Lucemon, you will never return to—what?" The Digimon stopped mid-sentence when it noticed where the Shadowlord's data was going.

It was flowing into Lucemon's body.

The Demon Lord in question raised a harsh glare to the Mega that was their opponent. This ex-servant of his had destroyed a part of him. Beelzemon had been right: the Shadowlord was his pet, in a sense. He'd grown attached to the creature, and was _very_ pissed that his pet had been killed. "You will pay," he said darkly, and even his allies stepped away from him as he took to the sky to meet Reapermon at eye level. "You will pay _dearly_ for what you've done."

"Grim—" Reapermon started, but was cut off by Lucemon.

"Grand Cross!" he yelled, and Reapermon was knocked to the ground, being hit at point blank range. Lucemon hovered over him. "Now, you're going to answer some questions."

"Why are you attacking all of us, Lucemon included, if your original plan was to get Lucemon back to your side so that you could follow him again?" Mayu asked.

"When Lucemon refused us, we found a new, stronger Master," Reapermon replied. "And this Master wants all of you, Lucemon included, wiped off the face of both worlds."

"Who is this 'Master', anyway?" Beelzemon asked. "Don't tell me it's…"

"It might be," it responded. "Like I'd tell you. It's not like you'll stand a chance against him anyway. You're all pathetic weaklings."

"Ultimate Sacrifice!" the Fallen Angel Digimon yelled, and Reapermon disappeared instantly, and the attack was so full of vicious anger that not even an Egg was left. As soon as the deed was done, Lucemon flew back down to the rapidly disappearing Shadowlord. "Weaklings, hm? I'll make them all pay," he promised it.

The others watched sadly. They'd only been with the creature for about a day, but even though it was large and fearsome, it had grown on them. It was like losing a good friend.

"Let's… let's get going," Chiharu said softly, turning, but then she stopped dead in her tracks.

"What is it?" Hideaki asked.

"Sandiramon's Egg…" the leader whispered. "It's… gone."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Makuramon looked back at the Digi-Destined group. He was going to be in big trouble, he just knew it. He'd been the one to send Reapermon in to destroy the Shadowlord and possibly the rest of the group while it was at it. After all, the Master had told him to prevent Lucemon from rejoining it. But his plan had backfired: in destroying the Shadowlord, all the extra data that it had been storing was sent back into Lucemon. "This isn't good," he muttered to himself. "Master will have my head for sure!"

He'd failed. First, he'd been sent to bring Lucemon back to their side. When that didn't work, he was supposed to destroy the children and their partners, Lucemon included. Instead, they destroyed Kumbhiramon, and there wasn't enough time to grab his Egg before leaving. He'd allowed them to reach the castle, thinking that Arukenimon would defeat them, but instead it allowed Beelzemon to reach Blast Mode. He'd gone with a few other Devas to take all the roots from the Data Tree once he heard that Wizardmon had been infected, but they'd clearly missed one. Wizardmon had thus been able to reach Ultimate Level. The Master had put him in charge of the Devas, so when Pajiramon and Vajramon were destroyed, that was Makuramon's responsibility as well. And now this.

It was one failure after another, and he could only get so many more chances. He had to redeem himself somehow. At least he'd managed to retrieve Sandiramon's Egg while the children were preoccupied by their fight with Reapermon. He had no choice: he'd just have to go back, deliver the bad news, and hope that today wasn't his last.

**Next time:  
Chiharu: I wonder how everyone else is doing, back in the Real World.  
Asuka: I miss Chiharu. Things are kind of boring, now that she and Beelzemon are gone.  
Dai: I know what you mean.  
Hiroshi: I wish they'd hurry up and get back…  
Makuramon: I've come for something **_**very**_** important.  
Nakayama: No matter what, we have to keep this away from him.**

**Alright, this is my shortest episode yet, but I'm running myself ragged trying to get this done. I know some of you are saying not to pressure myself about this, but seriously, anyone who knows me really well will tell you that when I make a promise, I keep it. And I promised, when I first started this, that I'd update every week on Wednesdays. Anyway, I think my favorite parts of this were my little snippets about Makuramon. I mean, seriously, I love the guy, he's my favorite Deva, ever. And sorry if it seemed like there was a bit of unnecessary detail when he was bowing to his Master (whose identity shall remain a secret until the time is right), but I wanted to make sure that you all got the exact mental picture I was thinking of when I wrote it.**

**So, review, please (possibly with questions), and **_**PLEASE**_** either try your hand at a cover, or if you know someone who's an artist and likes Digimon, please refer them to this and have them let me know. So far, I've really only got one person (maybe two) on board for this. And, sorry if I seem a little naggy about it, I just **_**really**_** want to see what you people can come up with, and I want to have a cover for my story. Remember, the prize for the winner is second dibs on an OC submission for Digimon Academy Season 2. Alright, see you next week~ (maybe)**


	21. Back On the Homefront

**Disclaimer: You know the drill, right~?**

The group was still heading south, on foot now that the Shadowlord was gone. Lucemon was in a very foul mood. Chiharu spoke, desperate to break the tension. "I wonder how everyone else is doing, back in the Real World."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Hey, wait up!" Asuka yelled, running after Dai and Hiroshi after class. She'd had to gather up her things in English when the bell rang, but as expected, Hiroshi was the first one out the door, and Dai was close behind.

"Sorry," Dai said when she caught up. "It's just… It's _Shimizu-sensei_."

"Yeah," Hiroshi added. "We wanted to get out of there as soon as possible."

"It's fine, I guess," the girl replied with a sigh. "Let's get to lunch, I'm hungry."

Once they got to the cafeteria and got their food, they went over to their table and, like every day, couldn't help but notice the empty seats.

"They've been gone for quite a while," Lotosmon commented.

"I wonder what they're doing…" Snimon contemplated.

"No idea," Dai muttered. "I wonder if there's any way we can call them and see how they're doing."

"We can ask one of the teachers about it later," Hiroshi said.

"I miss Chiharu," Asuka said. "Things are kind of boring, now that she and Beelzemon are gone."

"I know what you mean," Dai said with a nod.

"I wish they'd hurry up and get back…" Hiroshi added.

BlackSeraphimon gave him a look. "Would you rather they return soon, without completing what they went there to do, or would you rather they stay as long as they need to and solve the problem?"

"I know, I know," the redhead muttered. "But I don't have to like it…"

"Things have been a lot more peaceful, though," Lotosmon commented.

"Careful, now," Asuka said. "You don't want to jinx us."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The next day, that 'jinx' went into effect.

The ground began shaking, and the three children looked at each other. Ever since the Digi-Destined had left for the Digital World, no Gates had opened. So why was one suddenly opening now?

"Let's go check it out!" Hiroshi suggested, already on his feet. His two friends and their Digimon followed him as he ran in the direction the tremors were coming from, and they saw the Gate in the gym. Standing right outside the doors of the Gate, smirking, was Makuramon. The children had never seen the Deva before, but from what Chiharu had told them about the attack before she left, this Digimon seemed to fit the description.

Makuramon studied the children. "Running _toward_ danger, instead of _away_ from it," he observed. "You're very much like _them_." His eyes narrowed.

"By 'them', do you mean the Digi-Destined?" Asuka asked.

"No, Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny!" he replied sarcastically. "Of course the Digi-Destined, you fools! I've come for something _very_ important. You are going to do something for me."

"Don't bet on it," Dai hissed.

"You're going to bring me Kumbhiramon's Egg," Makuramon continued, as though Dai hadn't spoken.

"Arrow of Artemis!" the children and their Digimon heard from behind them. An arrow just narrowly missed the Deva as he side-stepped to avoid it.

"Nakayama-sensei! Dianamon!" they yelled.

"What are you doing here, Makuramon?" he asked the Deva.

"You!" Makuramon yelled, startled. "You were there when the Demon Lords were destroyed!"

"You were what?" Hiroshi asked.

"Later," the teacher said absentmindedly. "Right now, we have more important things to be focused on."

"Primal Orb!" the Digimon yelled, attacking.

"Twin Sickle!" Snimon attacked, and his blades cut through the orb that was about to hit them.

"Crescent Harken!" Dianamon yelled, but Makuramon quickly jumped out of the way.

"You aren't going to get me with that one again," he hissed.

"What's the matter?" Dianamon taunted. "Didn't you enjoy it?" The monkey Digimon's eyes narrowed in response.

"Don't make me ask again," Nakayama said. "Why are you here?"

"There's something here that I need," Makuramon replied. "I've come for Kumbhiramon's Egg."

"What do you want with it?" the teacher asked.

"That's for me to know," the monkey replied.

Nakayama shook his head. "I can't let you do that."

"Arrow of Apollo!"

Makuramon ducked as the fire arrows flew over his head. He glanced to his left to see Ikeda and Apollomon. Turning to look behind him, he saw that the Gate, his way home, had vanished.

"We caught you on a security camera," Ikeda told him. "We couldn't let you escape back to the Digital World to cause the Digi-Destined any more trouble than you probably already have. We put up a Digital Barrier in the Academy, destroying your Gate. You can't get home now."

Makuramon was not stupid. He was outnumbered and overpowered. If he were to stay and fight, he'd surely be destroyed. One Ultimate against a Champion and four Megas, two of which belonged to teachers, didn't have very good odds, Deva or no Deva. So he followed his first instinct: Run.

"Don't let him get away!" Asuka yelled, and Lotosmon and BlackSeraphimon went to block the back door, but the Deva had already left.

Nakayama quickly pulled out his cell phone. "Shinji, we have a Code Green. Make sure Makuramon doesn't escape… or find where we're keeping Kumbhiramon's Egg."

"Got it," the security guard replied.

Ikeda must have called Hotaru, because the receptionist's voice came over the PA system. "Everyone, we have a Code Green. For students who don't know what this means, we have a dangerous Digimon loose in the Academy. Please evacuate as quickly and _calmly_ as you can. Go to your dorms immediately and remain there until an adult comes to tell you otherwise."

An instant later, the hallways were pure chaos. Everyone was pushing to get out of the building.

"What part of 'calmly' do they not understand?" Nishimura asked, shaking his head as he directed students out of the Academy. He caught a movement in the corner of his eye and looked back at Minervamon. "He's around here. I'll stay here, but I want you to go and make sure he stays away from the students."

"Understood," his Mega partner replied, running off.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The building was almost completely cleared out, but Dai, Asuka, Hiroshi, and their Digimon remained.

"You should really get out of here with the others," Ikeda advised.

"We'd like to help," Asuka protested.

Ikeda was about to object when Nakayama spoke. "They _are_ the best in their classes, aren't they?" he asked the woman. "We could use all the help we can get."

"Alright, but stay safe," the Team Battling/Art teacher told them.

"Got it," they replied.

"Okay," Nakayama said, "so I'll go to the east side of the building, Ikeda, you go to the west."

"And us?" Hiroshi asked.

"I want you guys to go up to the Nursery. It has a back room, and in it is Kumbhiramon's Egg. We don't know what he wants with it, but we know it can't be good. No matter what, we have to keep this away from him. If he finds out where it is, take the Egg and run." He fished through his pockets. "Here's the key. We lock it to keep any new students from wandering in, but a door isn't going to stop a Deva."

"Got it," Dai said, taking the key.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Ikeda remarked. "Let me see your D-Powers." The three students held them out. "We're going to set this up so you can get us on Conference Call." She pressed a few buttons and then handed them back. "Just press the button on the right, and it will put you in contact with us."

"Thanks, Ikeda-sensei, Nakayama-sensei," Asuka said with a smile.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Shinji watched half of the monitors carefully, while LadyDevimon took the other half. He'd just set up the connection between his monitors and Hotaru's computers, so that they could both be on the lookout. Not that he'd needed too; Datamon would have cracked the system anyway.

LadyDevimon studied screen after screen, waiting for some sort of sign that would tell them just where the Deva was hiding.

"Wait a minute…" Shinji said, pointing to a screen. "LadyDevimon, take a look at this." The Digimon leaned over to see what he was talking about.

"This isn't good," she said as Shinji made a call.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"I'm scared," Reiko whimpered.

"Me, too…" Kazue replied. "But we have to get out of here. And we gotta be careful." Their class had been in a different room that day, because of a mess that was made in the normal classroom, so they had no idea where they were in the Academy. That announcement had terrified them. If there was a dangerous Digimon in the school, then they were sitting ducks.

"O-okay…" Reiko said.

"It's going to be okay," Gazimon assured the girls.

"That's right," Candlemon agreed. He looked at Kazue. "Your brother probably deals with stuff like this all the time, and I'm sure he's just fine."

"Alright," the girl said with a nod. She saw something moving in the shadows in front of them and jumped.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" a taunting voice asked, and a figure stepped out from the shadows. This had to be that dangerous Digimon that was the reason they had to evacuate.

"You won't hurt them," Gazimon said, taking a place in front of the girls. Candlemon stood by her side.

"We won't let you," the candle Digimon added.

Makuramon laughed. "You won't _let_ me?" He smirked. "You're just pathetic Rookies. You don't have a choice in the matter." He raised his arm. "Primal Orb!"

Both Rookies quickly pulled their partners out of the way. Gazimon, however, was hit fairly badly.

"Gazimon!" Reiko yelled, worried that she would lose her partner.

"I won't let you hurt these children," the Digimon hissed at the Deva.

"And neither will I," Candlemon agreed.

"Gazimon Digivolve to… Lynxmon!"

"Candlemon Digivolve to… Sorcermon!"

"Lynxmon, Champion Level," Reiko read about her newly Digivolved Digimon. "Attacks: Thermal Mane and Wild Nail Rush."

"Sorcermon, Champion Level," Kazue said, doing the same as her friend. "Attacks: Crystal Barrage, Drowning Aquarius, and Ice Illusion. Cool."

"So you Digivolved to Champions, so what?" Makuramon asked, bored. "You're still going to be my bait. I can use the two of you as bargaining chips, even."

"Ice Illusion!" Sorcermon yelled, and a contained blizzard surrounded the Deva, temporarily blinding him, allowing for their escape. "Let's go," he told them.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"What?!" Asuka practically shrieked into her D-Power. She and the boys had just gotten the news that two young girls and their Digimon were trapped in the Academy, and Makuramon was heading their way. What was worse, the two girls were still R-Class students, so they couldn't defend themselves against a Deva.

"We have to go after them!" Dai yelled.

"But we have to stay here and protect the Egg," Hiroshi argued.

"But their lives are at stake! We need to go, _now_!" Dai yelled back.

"No need," Lotosmon said, pointing. "Here they come."

The children looked up to see Kazue, Reiko, Sorcermon, and Lynxmon running their way.

"What happened? Where's Makuramon?" Snimon asked them.

"I blasted him with an Ice Illusion, but that won't stop him for long," Sorcermon informed them. "What are you guys still doing here?"

"Makuramon's after what's behind that door," BlackSeraphimon told them, pointing at the door in the Nursery.

"Why, thank you for telling me," they heard, and saw the Deva stepping out of the shadows. "I appreciate your help."

"You'll have to go through us to get to that Egg!" Asuka yelled.

"Oh, good. You humans are annoying anyway, the world could do with less of you," the monkey Deva replied nonchalantly. "Treasure Orb!" He hurled his attack in the direction of the humans, but when they dodged out of the way, the orb destroyed the door they'd been guarding. "I knew you'd fall for it!" he laughed as he took advantage of the time they were taking to get up. He ran into the room and grabbed Kumbhiramon's Egg. "Now," he muttered to himself. "How to get back home?"

"Wild Nail Rush!" Lynxmon yelled, swiping at Makuramon. The Deva was sent flying, and the Egg was wrenched from his grip. Hiroshi quickly picked it up and handed it to Reiko.

"I want you to take this and run, okay?" he asked the girl, who nodded. "We'll distract him while you get away."

"Okay," she replied.

Makuramon looked up, and his eyes locked on the Egg in Reiko's arms. "Give me back that Egg!" he yelled, diving at the child, but Lotosmon and BlackSeraphimon blocked the way.

"Seven's Fantasia!"

"Seven Heavens!"

While Makuramon was recovering from the attack, Reiko climbed onto Lynxmon's back. Clutching the Egg close to her body. "Digital Enhancement. Speed: Connect!" The Champion dashed off with her partner in hopes of finding a safer place.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Hotaru watched the screen vigilantly. Once the news had spread that there were two young children that were lost, she'd been terrified that Makuramon would get to them. She'd nearly had a heart attack when he did, but the girls were safe now. The security camera that had been on the Nursery revealed that one of the girls, Reiko Sakurazaki, had taken the Egg and was now on the run with it.

"Datamon, Sakurazaki's got the Egg, and she's heading for the Technical Ability room. Can you send out a message to all the staff so that someone can meet her there?" she asked her partner.

"Already done," the machine Digimon replied.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

When Reiko arrived at the Technical Ability classroom, Nishimura was waiting for her. "You did a good job," he told the little girl. "I'll take the Egg, now."

Reiko handed the Egg to the teacher. "Can I go back to the dorm, now?" she asked quietly.

Nishimura nodded. "Of course." He looked at Minervamon, who stood beside him. "Will you go with her to make sure that she gets there safely?"

"Alright," the Mega said. "But what about you?"

"I'll be fine," he assured her. "Harada, Kudo, and Tatsumiya are keeping Makuramon busy, or so I hear. You'll be back before he even comes near here."

"Okay, then," Minervamon said, but she wasn't completely convinced. "Let's go," she told Reiko, and led the girl and her partner out the door.

Nishimura, of course, was proven wrong when Makuramon entered the room, grinning. "This is going to be too easy," he commented. "Primal Orb!" The orb flew at Nishimura, knocking him off his feet. As a reflex, he put his hands out to brace his fall, and in doing so, he let go of the Egg, which Makuramon caught. "Thank you," he said while his grin grew wider. He heard footsteps behind him and quickly left the room. Surely the Master would notice his extended absence and open another Gate. But then he remembered: there was that barrier that had been placed. He'd have to do something about that.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"He's coming this way!" Datamon warned Hotaru. "I think he's planning on smashing the control to get the barrier down."

"No," Hotaru said. "I won't let him." This desk was practically her home sometimes, and she knew that to bring down the barrier, Makuramon was just going to destroy her equipment. She'd always been a computer geek, which was why she was the perfect partner for Datamon.

"Nano Spores!" the Ultimate yelled as soon as Makuramon came into view.

"Is that the best you've got? You're nothing but a piece of scrap metal," the Deva taunted. "Treasure Orb!"

"Data Crusher!" Datamon retaliated, hitting the orb headed their way. He wasn't powerful enough to destroy it, but he did manage to break it into smaller pieces, each of which hit the equipment hidden inside the desk. It didn't do much damage, but it made enough sparks fly to let Makuramon know that he'd done it. He'd destroyed the barrier.

A Gate opened up behind him, just as the children, their Digimon, and most of the teachers came rushing in. "You're too late," he informed them with a sly grin. "I got what I came here for." With that, he stepped through the Gate, which vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

"Damn!" Nakayama hissed.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"I've never seen you so angry, Nakayama-sensei," Asuka told the teacher.

"We shouldn't have let him get away," the teacher said, annoyed. He caught the looks the children were giving each other. "Don't worry, I'm not annoyed at any of you or anything. But Makuramon's bad news, so if he wanted that Egg, he must have something planned."

"He recognized you," Snimon remembered. "He said that you were there when the Demon Lords were destroyed. What did he mean by that?"

"Exactly what it sounds like," Nakayama replied. "About ten years ago, the Demon Lords were getting out of control and they needed to be stopped. So, the Headmaster, some teachers, and the Elite Students, as they were called, traveled to the Digital World to stop them…"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"_This is the Digital World?" Makoto Nakayama asked, staring. He was three weeks from graduating, and planned on becoming a teacher at the Academy himself. He was also one of the Elite Students, so he was there with the others that had come to destroy the Demon Lords, for the better of the Digital World, and even the Real World, possibly._

"_Yep," one of his teachers, Aoki, said. "Now come on, let's get going."_

_He'd come with the Headmaster, Aoki, a few other teachers, and one other student: Kyoko Nakayama, his little sister. She was the only other Elite at the time. "Is that where the Demon Lords are?" Kyoko asked, pointing up the mountain to the castle. Headmaster's partner, Dynasmon, nodded._

"_Yes, that's where the information's led us to, anyway."_

"_It's going to take forever to get up there," Makoto said with a sigh._

"_Relax, and be patient," his own partner, Dianamon, told him._

"_Come on, Onii-chan, Gryphonmon and I can take you up there," Kyoko said, already on her partner's back. She reached a hand down for him to grab. He climbed on. "Is that okay with you, Headmaster?"_

"_You can do up, but _do not_ enter the castle," the Headmaster ordered, earning a nod from both students._

_When the adults finally caught up with them, they entered the castle, ready for any sort of ambush. But, for some reason, there was none. Had the Demon Lords already gone?_

_They split up, though Makoto and Kyoko stayed together. They heard noises coming from one of the rooms and poked their heads in. "Sensei!" Kyoko called, though Makoto was frozen._

_In the room, against the wall, was the Digimon known as Beelzemon, the Demon Lord of Gluttony._

"_So, it's you," Dynasmon said when he entered the room._

"_Dynasmon," Beelzemon spat. "So a Royal Knight's working for a human now, huh?"_

"_You're hardly in any condition to fight, so I'd suggest you lay off the taunting," Dynasmon advised._

"_Do you know where the others are?" Makoto asked._

"_Even if I did, it's not like I'd tell you. I hate those bastards, but I hate you humans more."_

_It was over quickly. Makoto watched with a blank expression as the Demon Lord was destroyed, and the last word he uttered was his leader's name, his voice full of anger and hatred. "LUCEMON!" It was the first time Makoto had seen a real Digimon destroyed. He'd fought countless fake ones in the Team Battling Simulator, but the thought that they ended a life… He shook his head. This wasn't murder, it was justice for the rest of the innocent Digimon. But he couldn't help but think it hadn't been fair. The Demon Lord couldn't fight back. They'd basically sucker-punched him._

_They found the other Demon Lords quickly enough, but when they found the others, they noticed the Devas nearby. They, however, had the sense to know that they were overpowered, and made no move to aid their old Masters. Makoto locked eyes with one of them, however. The one that looked like a monkey, who he would later learn was called Makuramon._

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"You were an Elite?" Dai asked, in awe.

"Yeah," Nakayama nodded. "I even got my Burst Mode card to prove it." He held out the card for the children to see. It had a picture of Dianamon on it, but she looked different. The two antennae looking things on her head were gone, and a flower similar to the ones on her boots replaced on of them. Her scarf was yellow, and there were no spikes or double edged blade type weapons on her back. She also had a pair of white, feathery wings.

"That's Dianamon's Burst Mode?" Hiroshi whispered. "Cool!"

"Come on," Nakayama said. "The Headmaster wants to see you. It's about how you stayed in the school after being instructed to leave the building."

The three and their Digimon looked at each other and gulped. This couldn't be good.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"You all disobeyed direct orders to leave the building during a crisis," Headmaster told the group, pacing. "Instead, you constantly placed yourselves in numerous dangerous situations. You could have gotten hurt, or even worse."

"We're sorry, Headmaster," BlackSeraphimon said quietly. They were all dreading the punishment they were going to get.

But the Headmaster surprised them by giving a small, rare smile. "You handled yourselves very well. Even though Makuramon escaped, you proved yourselves capable of rising to unexpected challenges." He reached into his desk drawer. "Congratulations." He handed each student a card, and they took them with confused expressions. Their faces lit up when they read the two words written on the otherwise blank card: 'Burst Mode'. "Congratulations, Dai Harada, Asuka Kono, and Hiroshi Tatsumiya. You are now members of the Elite."

**Next time:  
Chiharu: Makuramon **_**what**_**?!  
Hideaki: What's wrong with Yuichi?  
Satoru: Maybe it's because this is his first Christmas without his family.  
Beelzemon: Christmas? What the hell is a Christmas?**

**Woot~ I liked the way this came out, even though it was still a little shorter than I feel like it should be. But give me a break, people, I finished this two nights before I left for Europe, more specifically, at about 1:30 in the morning. I also enjoyed writing that little flashback. I finally gave one of the teachers a first name~ (I'm not sure if the Headmaster even has a name, though... hehe…) So, I got around to describing Dianamon's Burst Mode. See, I really wanted to do a flash to the Real World thing, and when I decided that Makuramon would start collecting the Deva's Eggs, I realized that he never grabbed Kumbhiramon's, so that was the perfect opportunity. I might have a few more of these every so often, as fillers or some such thing.**

**Anyway: Questions and Covers, please~ (But remember, I can't actually **_**answer**_** your questions until I get back, so depending on how many I get, there may be a LOT of questions in Episode 23)**


	22. A Digital Christmas

**Disclaimer: Don't own the Digimon, but I own the storyline, human character, background info, etc.**

Chiharu looked down at her D-Agent to see a blinking button. Curious, she pressed it, and heard a familiar voice.

"Hey, Chiharu, are you there?"

"Hiroshi?" she asked. "Hey, what's up?"

"I've got some bad news," he told her grimly.

"What happened?"

She heard him sigh. "Makuramon got through to the Academy, and he stole an Egg."

"Makuramon _what_?!" she asked, causing the rest of the group to look over at her. "Please tell me it wasn't Kumbhiramon's."

"Sorry. We tried to stop him, but… what is he doing with them, anyway?" he asked.

"We have no idea," the Digi-Destined replied. "He's been collecting the other Devas' Eggs too, once we destroy them. But, whatever he's planning, it can't be good."

"That's what we thought, too. Oh, but on the bright side, Dai, Asuka and I all became Elite Students."

"What does that mean?" she asked, but it was Satoru who answered her.

"I heard a few people talking about it when I first came to the Academy. Apparently, some students can show exceptional talent, and in that case, they become Elite. That means that they can work with the teachers during any serious problems," he informed everyone.

"Yeah," Hiroshi replied, having heard the older boy through the Digivice. "Nakayama-sensei was an Elite when he was still a student."

Beelzemon glanced over. "I thought I knew Dianamon from somewhere. Didn't recognize Nakayama, though."

"Well, I gotta go," Hiroshi said. "The bell's going to ring soon, so I have to get to class. It was nice talking to you. I love you, Chiharu."

The girl blushed as her friends teasingly snickered. "I-I love you too, Hiroshi. Bye."

"How cute," Tsukiko teased. "You kids are so adorable."

"C-Come on, we have to keep going," Chiharu said, trying to change the subject. "The sooner we get more information, the sooner we can get this over with. And the sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can go home."

"And the sooner you can see yer _boyfriend_," Beelzemon said, joining in with the teasing.

"Shut up! Just drop it!" she hissed. She blinked when a snowflake fell on her nose.

"It snows here?" Hideaki asked as the little white flakes started to fall.

"In some places, yes," Lucemon replied.

Mayu looked around, noticing the snow slowly starting to collect on the trees. "Oh, that's right. It's almost Christmas, isn't it?"

"Christmas?" Beelzemon asked. "What the hell is a Christmas?"

Tsukiko laughed. "Christmas is a holiday in the real world about being together with family. People also give each other presents." She stopped and thought about what she said. "Oh dear God, I sound like we're in a Christmas special." All the humans laughed.

"Alright, seriously, though. Let's take a short break, then. Christmas is in a few days, and I guess we _have_ been working really hard, and non-stop." Chiharu smiled.

"What are we going to do about presents, though?" Yuichi asked curiously.

"We'll think of something," Satoru assured the young boy.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The snow accumulated quickly, covering the landscape, making the perfect Christmas scene. The children started looking for anything they could use for presents, while their Digimon watched, confused.

"What's got them so excited? It's just a holiday," Beelzemon muttered.

"I heard Yuichi talk about it once," Wizardmon told the others. "It's really important to the humans, and just about everyone looks forward to it. Of course, there are some people that don't celebrate it, but obviously, the six of them do."

ShadowWereGarurumon watched as Tsukiko wandered the nearby woods, and decided to follow her. If she was looking for anything specific, he'd help her look. "Anything in particular that you're trying to find?" he asked her.

"Not really," she replied. "I've been with this group for a while now, but I still have no idea what any of them would want… I mean, I might be able to make something for Yuichi, because he's still a little kid, but everyone else?"

"Why don't you ask them what they want?" her Digimon partner suggested.

She shook her head. "If I ask, then they'll know exactly what I'm getting them. The whole point of giving someone a Christmas present is that a) they know you're thinking about them, and b) it's a surprise." She groaned. She hadn't even done any Christmas shopping in a long time. She had no idea what would even make a good present at all.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Satoru and Hideaki had decided to team up to find presents for everyone else, and would split off when they were done, to find something for each other. So far, it was a successful setup, because, having had lunch with Tsukiko every day, Hideaki had a good idea of her likes and dislikes, and Satoru was just good at 'reading' people anyway, so they were able to help each other easily.

"What's wrong with Yuichi?" Hideaki asked as he glanced over at the little boy nearby. The little boy seemed pretty depressed, and was looking half-heartedly. His initial excitement had faded fairly quickly.

"Maybe it's because this is his first Christmas without his family," Satoru suggested. "He's probably so used to spending Christmas with his parents and his sister. And Christmas is all about family anyway, so this has to be a sad thing for him."

Hideaki frowned slightly. He'd decided to keep himself distant from the group to avoid being hurt, like his parents had repeatedly hurt him when he was young. They still did the same things, but Hideaki had just accepted that his parents didn't want him, and taught himself to hate them, so their actions barely mattered anymore. He'd gotten to know the other kids, though, and without realizing, he'd slowly opened up to them, and even started to care about them. They were his friends now. "We have to do something to cheer him up, then," the white haired boy muttered.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"I never would have guessed that you were the type to take Christmas so seriously," Lucemon deadpanned as his partner searched for anything. "I thought you didn't even _like_ the others."

"That's not the point," she whispered. "I want this to feel like a normal Christmas. I haven't had a normal Christmas in a long time, so it doesn't matter who I'm with. Even if it _is_ Miura…" And with that, she went back to her search.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu sat on a snow covered rock with her head in her hands. This was for Christmas, a time of giving, and she couldn't find a single thing to _give_. She wanted to make things perfect for everyone. That was her job as a leader, right? Especially Hideaki and Tsukiko. She'd heard their stories. They had rough lives at home, and she wanted to try to give them at least one nice Christmas. After all they'd accomplished, after how much they—along with everyone else—had helped her, it was the least she could do. But there was nothing. It was the thought that counted, she knew that, but she didn't want to make it seem like she'd just thrown random things together and called it a gift. No, each gift had to be special.

She shook her head and stood up. Moping around about it wouldn't get the job done. She saw a few different colored berries here and there, and suddenly an idea struck her. She _had_ been given good marks in Art class…

She gathered as many different colored berries as she could find. Luckily for her, this was the Digital World, so they ranged anywhere from brown, to yellow, to green. She found five flat stones large enough to work on, along with another to use as a palette and got to work.

"What are ya doing?" Beelzemon asked, walking over. "What are you paint—"

"Shh!" Chiharu said quickly, putting a finger to her lips. "These are for the others! Christmas presents are supposed to be a surprise, so don't tell them."

"Whatever," the Demon Lord mumbled. He didn't really see a point in the whole Christmas thing, but to him, it looked like Chiharu was only putting stuff together for the other humans, and wasn't even going to bother with him. He shook his head. Who was he, Leviamon? Being jealous wasn't his thing, but he couldn't help the nagging, forgotten feeling the thought of her not giving him a gift while everyone else got one gave him.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Tsukiko looked down at her creation. Leaves were thick here in the Digital World, making a perfect substitution for fabric. She hadn't told the others, but there was also a small sewing kit in her bag for emergencies. After all, when she lived with her foster families, no one cared enough to fix her clothes when they ripped, or to get her new ones, so she had to learn to sew. She smiled and put her creation in her bag. Hopefully, the little boy would like what she made.

Now for everyone else. She put her sewing kit back and looked around. This was going to be a lot harder. Without stores or anything, it seemed almost impossible. But Tsukiko had never been a quitter, and she wasn't about to start now, so she wouldn't give up until she found something for everyone.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Mayu groaned. The wilderness was not a good place to look for Christmas presents, but what other choice did she have? That was when she saw it.

In a large clearing, in the middle of the forest the group had set up camp in, was a village. She could only hope that they'd let her have some stuff, even without any money. After all, she'd done a lot for the Digital World already, and Christmas was all about the spirit of giving, wasn't it? She walked over and spoke to the first Digimon she ran into, a Frigimon.

"Um, I was wondering if I could get some things for my friends here. It's almost Christmas, and, well, I don't have anything for them," she told him. "I don't have any money, but…"

"It's fine," Frigimon said, and though he had no mouth, the smile was apparent in his eyes. "You're a Digi-Destined, right?" She nodded. "We owe you, so whatever you need, you can have it. I'm sure no one would mind."

"Thanks," she said with a smile, and followed Frigimon into the nearest store. This village, unlike the other ones they'd visited, was more like a human's, in that the stores were more modern, and even carried things such as toys and scarves.

"The baby Digimon enjoy these," Frigimon explained when she looked confused about their presence. She picked through the items on the shelves until she found what she thought were appropriate presents. When she was done, she looked back at Frigimon. "Is there any way I can have these gift-wrapped?"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Hideaki smiled as he found nice, sizable pieces of wood nearby. The one good present he'd received, from an uncle that actually cared about him, before that uncle moved away, was a Swiss Army knife, and he'd brought it with him in his sweatshirt pocket.

"What have you got there?" Satoru asked.

Hideaki held up the piece of wood he'd been in the middle of carving. He'd practiced with wood carving back home, and he'd gotten pretty good at them. When his parents found out, of course, they burned them, so he didn't have any left. The one he was currently working on was Chiharu's. "Any luck on your end?"

"Nope. Nada," the older boy said, shaking his head.

"Can you cook?" Hideaki asked.

"What?" Satoru looked confused. "Well, yeah, I can cook pretty well, why?"

"Maybe it'll be enough if you offer to cook some kind of Christmas dinner. I'm sure we could get a fire going or something," Hideaki suggested.

The older, purple haired boy stared at his friend for a moment. "That's brilliant," he said. "Thanks."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Finally, it was Christmas Day, and everyone was pretty excited to see what they'd gotten each other.

"I'll go first," Tsukiko said. "Here, Yuichi." She pulled a small, green stuffed animal out of her bag. "I made it with some leaves, and it's filled with some grass I dug up."

"Thank you!" the little boy exclaimed, hugging the stuffed animal tightly.

"I didn't know you could sew," Hideaki said.

"Surprise!" she joked. "Now, for the rest of you." She reached into her back and pulled out four pendants. Each was a different colored, flat polished stone. "I hope they're not too _girly_ for you," she joked. She gave the black one to Hideaki, and the green one to Satoru. Mayu got the pink one, and Chiharu got the red one. "And as for the Digimon…" She pulled out six cards.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"_Hey, can I talk with you for a minute?" Ikeda asked Tsukiko._

"_Sure?" the teenage girl said questioningly, walking over._

"_I know you guys are probably going to be gone a long time, and you may very well be there until after Christmas, so…" She handed Tsukiko six cards. "These are very special, and they're presents for the Digimon. But shh!" she held a finger to her lips. "Keep it a secret."_

"_Got it," Tsukiko said with a nod. "Thanks, Ikeda-sensei."_

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Tsukiko handed the cards to the Digimon, who showed them to their partners.

"Alias," Wizardmon said, looking at the card. "Impressive."

"Targeting? Neat!" Lilamon said. "Thanks!"

"Digmon's Drill," ShadowWereGarurumon said. "Cool."

"Avenging Knight? Sweet," BlackWarGreymon said approvingly.

"Magnamon's Magna Blast…" Lucemon said, raising an eyebrow. "Now isn't that ironic?"

"What do you mean?" Tsukiko question.

"Oh, nothing. I was thinking out loud. It _is_ a very good card, though. Thank you," he said, surprising everyone.

Beelzemon, after getting over his shock, glanced down at the card in his clawed hand. "Goliath?"

Chiharu gasped. She'd read up on all the cards, and the Goliath card was really powerful. In fact, only the best of the best were able to use it properly. They weren't ready for something like this!

"Ikeda specifically told me that that was for you," Tsukiko said. "She's got a lot of confidence in you. They all do."

"I'll go next," Hideaki volunteered, pulling tiny wooden figurines out of his pockets. He handed the wolf-shaped one to Tsukiko. The flower was Mayu's, Satoru got a leaf-shaped figurine, Yuichi got a miniature version of the end of Wizardmon's staff, and Chiharu got a peace sign. When she looked confused, he said, "You hate fighting so I thought it fit pretty nicely."

"Oh, Chiharu said. "Thanks." She smiled.

Hideaki also gave Lilamon a lily-shaped figuring. BlackWarGreymon got a miniature version of his shield, ShadowWereGarurumon got a fist, Wizardmon got a book carving, and Beelzemon and Lucemon got two symbols.

"How did you know about these?" Lucemon asked, staring at it.

"They were pictured in the textbook," Hideaki replied with a shrug. "It's on the first page of the chapter about you guys."

"What are they?" Mayu asked.

"They're our Crests," Beelzemon said. "Remember how we told ya before that there were Crests with positive attribute put in empty Digi-Eggs? Well, we've got Crests of our own. This is the Crest of Gluttony," he said, holding up his carving. "And that's the Crest of Pride." He pointed to Lucemon's.

Yuichi looked at everyone and frowned.

"What's wrong?" Chiharu asked him.

"You guys made really cool presents, when all I got were these…" he pulled eleven flower wreathes from his backpack. "I got them before too much snow covered them."

"They're wonderful, don't worry," Lilamon said with a smile. "I like them."

"Says the plant," BlackWarGreymon joked. "But she's right, they _are_ nice." Yuichi beamed.

"Now, it's my turn," Mayu said with a grin. "I found—" But she was cut off by a Digimon attack, or, more specifically, a Deva.

"Seriously?!" Chiharu yelled. "It's _Christmas_, for God's sake!"

"That's Caturamon," Lucemon told them. "His attacks are Treasure Hammer and Howl of the Heavens."

"Is it just me, or do all Devas have an attack having something to do with treasure?" Hideaki muttered.

Mayu glared at the Digimon. "I just wanted a peaceful Christmas," she hissed. "That was _all_ I was asking for, and I can't even have _that_?" Her eyes narrowed. "Big mistake." The rest of the group was a bit surprised. They never expected Mayu to be that into Christmas.

The other Digimon were already at the ready, waiting for the signal.

"Christmas, what a pathetic human holiday," Caturamon said, angering all the humans present.

"Looks like someone needs to teach Scrooge here a lesson," Chiharu growled.

"Scrooge?" Beelzemon.

"Never mind, just get him!"

"Can do," the Demon Lord said with a smirk. "Double Impact!"

"Grand Cross!"

"Terra Force!"

Caturamon dodge all the attacks with ease. "Is that your best?" he taunted.

Lilamon, seeing how fast the Deva seemed to be, had an idea. "Un Deux Pollen!" Her attack paralyzed Caturamon. "Now!" she yelled.

"Let's try these things out," Hideaki suggested, holding up the card Tsukiko had given him. "Digital Enhancement. Avenging Knight: Connect!"

"Digital Enhancement. Targeting: Connect!"

"Digital Enhancement. Digmon's Drill: Connect!"

"Digital Ability: Magnamon's Magna Blast: Connect!"

Lucemon felt a warm energy flow through his body, collecting in his hands, ready to be fired. "Magna Blast!" The damage of his attack made Caturamon stumble after he regained movement, and that was when the others attacked. ShadowWereGarurumon dove at him with the drill spinning, while BlackWarGreymon attacked repeatedly with his newly gained lances.

"Marvel Shot!" Lilamon yelled, and due to her Enhancement card, every attack was on the mark, and while Caturamon looked to be severely damaged, he refused to be deleted.

"Looks like it's our turn," Chiharu observed, but she kept the Goliath card where it was. She didn't feel ready to use it just yet. "Digital Enhancement. Blast Mode: Connect!"

Beelzemon, now in Blast Mode, flew over Caturamon. He hovered about twenty feet over the Deva while the energy gathered in his Blaster. "Ya made a big mistake comin' here today. I may not understand what this 'Christmas' thing is, but it's important ta these kids, and I ain't gonna let you ruin it for them." He pointed the Blaster at Caturamon. He smirked. "Merry Christmas. Corona Blaster!" The attack destroyed Caturamon.

"What should we do about that?" Wizardmon asked, pointing to the Egg. "We can't let Makuramon get it."

Chiharu stared at it for a moment. She had a feeling she was going to regret this, but… "Leave it. For one thing, it's Christmas, so I'm willing to be a little giving. Two, I don't want to have to get into another fight today." She shook her head. "Besides, if we can figure out where Makuramon's taking them, maybe we can get all the Eggs back."

"Sounds like a plan," Tsukiko said. "Alright, Mayu, you were about to give us our presents from you?"

"Oh, right," the blonde girl said, going back and getting the wrapped presents.

"How did you get them wrapped?" Satoru questioned.

"I found a village nearby that had stores and stuff, and they did gift wrapping," she replied with a shrug, passing the gifts out. "Go on, open them."

Chiharu was unsure of what she'd find, and was slightly scared to see what her 'rival/enemy' had gotten for her. She was pleasantly surprised to see a golden chain bracelet with a sapphire on it. "Thank you…" she said, stunned.

"Just consider it a thank you for saving my life," Mayu muttered, referring to the time back in the Demon Lords' castle, when she'd been about to fall into the grips of the Dokugumon.

Yuichi opened his to find a squirt gun, which made him laugh. Tsukiko got a sweatband and wristbands, Hideaki got a black scarf, and Satoru was given a messenger bag. "I thought maybe, since you like helping people a lot, you'd want a bag to help us carry stuff."

"Us?" Chiharu asked, raising an eyebrow. "You didn't bring—" Mayu lifted up the bag she'd pulled the messenger bag she'd pulled all of the other gifts out of.

"I got this to carry the presents back, but I think I'll keep it." She gave each Digimon a little plastic figure of their In-Training forms. "I couldn't really thing of anything for you guys. Uh… sorry…"

"It's okay, it's cute," Wizardmon assured her.

Satoru decided to speak up. "Alright, um… I couldn't think of anything, but… I was thinking that maybe I could make dinner tonight instead?"

The others agreed enthusiastically, and Hideaki gave him a subtle thumbs up, which he returned.

"I guess I'm last, then," Chiharu said, earning a nod. She hadn't expected the Digimon to take part in getting anything, and she was okay with that. She reached into her bag and pulled out her paintings. She had originally made just five, for the other humans, and then realized that the Digimon might want some as well. Mayu received a picture of the sky, Hideaki got a picture of a blurry figure in the shadows, Satoru got a picture of someone reading a book, and Tsukiko got an image of a corner of the gym, where her punching bag is, with sunset lighting through the windows. Yuichi got a picture of his sister and Reiko. For the Digimon, Lilamon got a picture of a garden. Lucemon got an image of the old castle, and ShadowWereGarurumon got one of the forest. Wizardmon got a picture of a library, and finally, BlackWarGreymon got an image of his Rookie form in front of his Champion form, which was in front of a black silhouette of SkullGreymon. BlackWarGreymon himself was in the background.

Beelzemon looked at Chiharu expectantly. The other Digimon had even gotten gifts from her, but why was he left out? He glared when he saw that there was nothing else in Chiharu's bag that would be a present. Okay, yes, he'd admit it: he was jealous now.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Beelzemon was still in a bad mood after Satoru had made dinner.

"What's the matter?" Chiharu asked her partner.

"Yer askin' what's the matter?" he asked angrily. "Ya give everyone else a present, but I get nothin' from ya!"

"Are you jealous?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No!" he hissed, but the human could clearly tell he was lying.

"You shouldn't be," she told him, grinning, which only made him angrier. She whistled, and the Digi-Destined and the Digimon were surprised to hear Behemoth's approach. They hadn't expected that it would come when Chiharu called it. "Just look. I didn't leave you out."

Beelzemon walked over to inspect his Demon Bike. After quickly looking it over, he was about to turn back to Chiharu, saying that he saw nothing new, when a flash of silver caught his eye. He looked down at it and picked it up to get a better look. There was a thin chain that had been attached to one of the handlebars. At the end of the chain, there was a small silver carving of a pair of wings, and where they met, facing down, was a miniature copy of his Blaster when he was in Blast Mode. "How did you…?"

"I found the same village that Mayu did," Chiharu replied, surprising the blonde. "I had it specially made. Merry Christmas, Beelzemon."

And, despite his initial annoyance at the holiday, he could help smiling and replying: "Yeah. Merry Christmas, kid."

**Next time:  
Antylamon: I know what they're doing isn't right. I'll help you get to the Mountain of Azulongmon.  
Chiharu: We were headed for the Volcano of Zhuqiaomon, though.  
Antylamon: The Mountain is closer, and after that, I can take you to the Volcano.  
Makuramon: Traitor!  
Antylamon: I'll hold him off, just go!  
Yuichi: Antylamon!**

**Alright, I know this is nowhere near Christmas, but Halloween was a little while back, in this story, so I figured it's about Christmas time at the Academy. Sorry the fight was really quick, I was pressed on time to write this and get it done, but I did it~ Yeah, some of it might seem a little cheesy, but that's really the only way I could think of to write a Christmas chapter. Besides, it's a season of a kid's show, so… Anyway, it took forever to figure out what everyone would get everyone else, and how they'd get it, so if you have a problem with anything that was given, please keep it to yourself.**

**A few reminders:  
1) You are allowed to use any of my characters in a story if you wish to, just give me credit, and let me know so that I can see how you portray them.  
2) Questions and Covers please.  
3) Next week's episode may be a day late, because I get back two days before it would be posted, and I might be totally exhausted and too tired to write when I first get back.**

**Thank you all for reading this far with me, and being patient and understanding with my quick episodes. Merry Christmas in July, everyone~**


	23. Friends and Foes

**Question time has finally come back~  
1:** **Hi, Mummymon, in the second season of the Digimon TV show, you are able to turn into a human form like Arukenimon. If you can like the Arukenimon you faced a few chapters ago, why haven't you done it yet?  
Wizardmon: Well, first off, before any of you ask, I'm answering as Wizardmon instead of Mummymon because this is my usual form. **_**Anyway¸**_** I didn't know if I could or not. Can I, Elisa?  
Me: I never really thought about it, but… I suppose so.  
Wizardmon: However, I might not do it very often, because I prefer to be in Champion form.  
2: How did Reiko climb onto a flaming Digimon?  
Me: In this season, at least, even if a Digimon is on fire, their flames won't harm humans, because the flames are Digital, and thus have a different composition than regular flames. Or something like that, anyway.  
3: How did Tsukiko get the pendants?  
Tsukiko: They were just some nice stones I found, really. The Digital World had a lot of random, obscure stuff.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own what I don't own, own what I do.**

It was four days after Christmas, and the group was still traveling south, heading for the Volcano of Zhuqiaomon. Considering the fact that they had no idea how large the Digital World was, they had no way of knowing how much progress they were making.

"Are we there yet?" Tsukiko joked, earning an annoyed glance from most of the humans.

"Let me think, do you see a volcano anywhere?" Chiharu answered. "No, we're not there yet."

"Sorry, just trying to lighten the mood a little bit…"

"No, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap," the leader replied with a sigh. "We just haven't made much progress, and it's making me a little touchy."

"A little?" Beelzemon asked. "You've been snippy all day, _and_ yesterday, too."

Satoru sighed. "Just leave her alone, okay?" he said. "Let her have her space so she can calm down."

"Thanks, Satoru," Chiharu replied. She _did_ need her space. They'd had many victories, but it wasn't satisfying her. They still hadn't found out who was really behind the attacks, and they couldn't stop Makuramon from retrieving the Eggs of the other Devas. She'd let the last incident happen, but that was because she didn't want anything else getting in the way of their Christmas. Now, though, she was seriously regretting it, because she gave Makuramon exactly what he wanted: another Egg. The others kept telling her that it was the right thing to do, because Christmas only comes around once a year, and they could always get the Egg back. But in reality, they couldn't, because they had absolutely no idea where he was keeping them. And, being the leader, Chiharu couldn't help but place the blame all on herself. And the very slow progress to their next destination didn't help matters.

Beelzemon stared at his partner. He knew something was up with her, but he wasn't quite sure what it was. It could have been a lot of different things, so it's not like it had an easy answer. He needed to find out somehow, but it wasn't like him to just ask about someone's problems. But how was he supposed to do it?

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Hours later, the group decided to take a break. They were nearing a mountain range, which made them wonder if they were off course or not. After all, if they found the Mountain of Azulongmon, that would mean that they'd been going to wrong direction the whole time, and while it would still be okay for them to wind up there, they would have much preferred to arrive where they wanted to, first.

"Are we lost?" Yuichi asked.

"It's quite possible," Wizardmon answered. "Though, truthfully, I'm not sure if we knew what way we were going in the first place."

"I _thought_ we were going south," Mayu muttered, sending Chiharu a pointed glance, as though their misdirection was her fault. It was true that she had been leading, but it was only a guess, because none of them had thought to bring a compass, and even if they had, there was no guarantee that it would work, because the constant shift in the data would probably mess it up anyway.

"We were," Chiharu insisted, though she wasn't quite sure at the moment. "Let's just keep going. If it turns out that we were going east, then so what? We can still take care of Mihiramon while we're here. Then we won't have to backtrack."

"That sounds reasonable," Lucemon admitted. He didn't like Chiharu, mainly because she and Beelzemon had taken over his previous role as leader, but he couldn't just ignore it when she made a valid point.

"We in agreement?" Beelzemon asked, earning nods from all the others. "Alright, let's go."

They began walking, but were abruptly stopped when a large figure came into view. The Digi-Destined and their partners readied themselves for a fight.

"That's Antylamon," Lucemon said as the children tried to get a reading.

"Deva?" Hideaki guessed when they got nothing from their D-Agents.

"Got it in one," Beelzemon said. "She's got attacks called Bunny Blades, Treasure Axe, Arm Bomber, and Meditation Cure."

"Marvel Shot!" Lilamon yelled, making the first move.

"Wait!" Antylamon cried, dodging the attack. "I'm not going to hurt you!"

"Why would we believe you?" BlackWarGreymon asked suspiciously.

"Hear her out," Lucemon said. "Antylamon was never one to trick people, and I doubt she'd have changed that much."

"Thank you, Lord Lucemon," she replied with a slight bow. "And it's wonderful to see you again. You, too, Lord Beelzemon," she added, bowing again to the Demon Lord of Gluttony.

"You know I hate those kinda formalities," he muttered.

"Sorry," the large rabbit Digimon apologized. She turned back to the rest of the group. "I've come here to help you."

"Oh, really?" ShadowWereGarurumon asked. "Why?"

"I know what they're doing isn't right," she told them, referring to the other Devas, as well as whoever was leading them. "I'll help you get to the Mountain of Azulongmon."

"We were headed to the Volcano of Zhuqiaomon, though," Chiharu informed the Deva. They were probably closer to the Mountain than they were to the Volcano, but she preferred following the original plan.

"The Mountain is closer," Antylamon said, confirming Chiharu's thoughts. "And after that, I can take you to the Volcano."

"It sounds like a reasonable deal," Wizardmon commented. "I say we take it."

"Me, too," Lilamon agreed.

"Alright, those in favor of following Antylamon say 'aye'," Chiharu announced.

"Aye!" the rest of the group said.

"Okay, then," the goggle-head said, turning back to their new guide. "Lead the way."

The rabbit Deva turned around and started walking in the direction of the mountain range, and while it was a slow pace for her, the rest of the group had a bit of trouble catching up.

"Can you slow down a little?" BlackWarGreymon asked. "The humans can't keep up." He would have been fine, because he, along with a few of the others, could fly, but the humans and some of the Digimon weren't so fortunate.

"I can carry a few of them, but not all," Antylamon answered, stopping.

"Hold on, I have an idea," Chiharu said with a grin and whistled. Moments later, Behemoth came storming their way, and came to an abrupt halt in front of the human. "Hey Beelzemon, mind if we take Behemoth?"

"And just how am _I_ supposed to follow?" the Demon Lord asked. Chiharu replied by holding up a single card.

"Digital Enhancement. Blast Mode: Connect!"

"Alright, that works," he said with a shrug, and then took to the sky.

"ShadowWereGarurumon, how fast can you run?" she asked the Ultimate.

"Fast enough to keep up if I don't have to wait for anyone," he answered, satisfying the girl.

"Okay, so Antylamon, you can take Yuichi, Hideaki, and Satoru. Is that okay with everyone?" The group nodded in response. "Antylamon."

"I'm pretty sure I can do it." She bent down. "Come on. All aboard who's going aboard." The three mentioned humans climbed onto her back. Hideaki and Yuichi sat on her shoulders, while Satoru found a way to sit comfortably in her hands.

"What about the rest of us?" Mayu asked.

"With Beelzemon in the air, there's enough room on Behemoth for all three of us." Chiharu looked at the other Digimon, excluding ShadowWereGarurumon. "The rest of you can follow overhead."

The Digimon nodded, and Lucemon, BlackWarGreymon, and Lilamon took off. Wizardmon held his staff horizontally and sat on it. The staff levitated, and flew up to join the rest of the airborne Digimon. Tsukiko and Mayu mounted Behemoth behind Chiharu, who was already in place. "Are we set, everyone?" she asked.

"Yes!" the Digimon from above called down to her. ShadowWereGarurumon supplied her with a nod.

"Let's head out," the leader said, looking up at Antylamon, who resumed walking. Behemoth followed close behind.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

It took a long time, but they finally reached the base of the Mountain. "We have to be careful, now," Antylamon warned the group. "Mihiramon patrols the Mountain, so be on guard."

"We knew about that already, don't worry," Satoru responded.

Antylamon smiled. "That's good, at least. You're prepared for the fight?"

"Of course," Mayu replied. "We've already taken down five Devas and Reapermon."

"I know. Makuramon wasn't very happy about that." Antylamon shook her head. "Of course, everything with us is his responsibility, now. If any of us are destroyed, it's on his shoulders."

Tsukiko tapped Chiharu. "Hey," she whispered. "Now might be a good time to ask for information."

"Oh, you're right!" Chiharu looked back up at the Deva they were following. "Hey, Antylamon? Could you answer a few questions for us, please?"

"You can ask me anything," she replied, "and I'll answer it as best as I can."

"Okay, who's in charge of the attacks on the Human World?" Hideaki asked. "Who put Makuramon in charge of the Devas?"

"Well, we're following Apocalymon right now," she said, "but he isn't our real leader. He was just put in command of the rest of us. Our real leader is a mystery. We've never seen him. We've only heard his voice, but that was only of a few occasions. He's the one really calling the shots, and he assigned Apocalymon to lead us until he had enough strength to make his own form here in the Digital World."

"Does that mean that he's not really here in the Digital World?" Yuichi asked.

"That's exactly right," Antylamon answered with a nod.

"So, is he in the Human World?" Lilamon asked.

The rabbit Deva replied with a shake of her head. "No, he isn't in the Human World, either. He was trapped in a sort of limbo a long, long time ago."

The two Demon Lords sent each other a look. Everything they'd heard pointing to only one answer. It was _him_.

"How is he getting the power to communicate from this limbo? How is he getting the strength he'll need to emerge here?" Lucemon asked.

"Well," Antylamon started. "I'm not completely sure. I think they know that I don't believe in what they're doing, so they don't tell me everything. The others bring innocent Digimon to our lair, and they never come out. I think they're destroying those Digimon, and finding a way to feed their data to the Master, making him more powerful. In addition, every time a Gate opens, it weakens the barrier of the Digital World, if only slightly. If they do this enough times, the barrier will be weak enough that the Master will be able to break through from his limbo into the Digital World."

"So those attacks weren't really 'attacks' at all, were they? Those Digimon just made it through the Gates by chance," Satoru realized.

Antylamon nodded again. "That's right. At first, it wasn't about the Human World at all. It was just about weakening the barrier. But when they noticed that Digimon that hated the humans starting going through the Gates, they used it as an opportunity. They hate how humans decided to try and keep the peace of the Digital World. They think it's none of the humans' business. I, however, think it's nice to have a bit of outside help."

After that, they walked in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. They'd been given a lot of new, useful information, and each had to process it.

Beelzemon clenched his fist. How could this be happening? They'd taken care of this years ago, hadn't they? This problem was supposed to be over and done with! He glanced over to see Lucemon having a similar reaction. They had almost died sealing that Digimon away, and now he was coming back. He had no idea how the hell they were going to pull it off this time. It took seven Demon Lords, and even then they almost didn't make it. How did they expect to do it again when there were only six this time, and only two of them had that much power?

Mayu frowned. She was wondering the same thing as all the other humans: who was this 'Master' that Antylamon was talking about? She glanced up at the sky to try to find Lucemon. She'd noticed that he and Beelzemon seemed to change a little every time the mastermind behind all of this was brought up. They knew something, something very important, but neither was willing to give up the big secret. It bothered her, and she was certain that it was bothering Chiharu, too.

They got to a steeper part of the Mountain, where they had to pause. Behemoth couldn't take them any further, so the girls had to get off and walk, slowing the group down considerably.

"Will we be running into Mihiramon soon?" Satoru asked the Ultimate.

"Yes, he should be somewhere around—"

"Tiger Wing Blades!"

Antylamon folded her hands around Satoru and jumped to avoid the shockwave caused by the attack. ShadowWereGarurumon, following her lead, dashed over and grabbed Tsukiko, jumping into the air with her. Chiharu and Mayu were forced to grab onto each other for support, and somehow managed to stay upright until the shock subsided.

"I'm going to guess that that's Mihiramon?" Mayu asked, still trying to get her bearings.

"That's right," Lucemon answered. "His attacks are Samurai Tiger Tail, Armored Tiger Tail, and Tiger Wing Blades."

"Antylamon," the tiger Deva hissed. "Why are you helping these humans? They are the _enemy_, you know that!"

"No, Mihiramon," she countered. "_We're_ the enemy. The humans are trying to help the Digimon keep the peace. What are we trying to do? Do you even know what the Master wants? Because I don't! But we've taken the lives of countless Digimon to help him get here. A Master that makes us do that can't be very peaceful. I won't stand for this!" She set the boys down and raised her arms. Her hands seemed to turn to putty for a second before molding to form a pair of axe blades. "Bunny Blades!" she yelled, diving forward and slicing at Mihiramon.

"Armored Tiger Tail!" the other Deva retaliated, and spikes came out of his tail before he whipped it at Antylamon, but that didn't stop her. Instead, she blocked the tail with one axe while still attacking with the other.

"She's a good fighter," Wizardmon commented.

"Yeah, I'm glad she's on our side," BlackWarGreymon added.

"You and me both," ShadowWereGarurumon agreed.

Satoru watched the battle. "Should we help her?"

Chiharu thought for a moment and shook her head. "She seems to have things under control. But let's stay here, just in case. If she needs us, we'll be right here." _But I don't think she will_, the leader added silently.

"Arm Bomber!" Antylamon yelled, and her body froze for a split second, and then seemed to be covered with a soft shimmer. Mihiramon continued to attack, but his blows bounced off harmlessly. Antylamon raised her arm, which was still in the form of an axe, and brought it down, hard, on Mihiramon's back, causing him to cry out in pain before his data began to disperse.

"That was amazing," Lilamon said, staring, and the others nodded in agreement.

"Alright, let's keep moving. We need to leave the Mountain so that we can head to the Volcano of Zhuqiaomon," Chiharu said, and they resumed walking, after Antylamon had scooped up the Egg. Little did they know, they were being watched.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"So, Antylamon's become a traitor."

Makuramon was in a deep bow yet again in front of Apocalymon. He'd just delivered the news that Antylamon was not only helping the humans now, but she had destroyed Mihiramon as well. "Y-Yes, Sir. She's going to take the children and their Digimon to the Volcano, now."

"Stop them," Apocalymon ordered. "And I want you to punish Antylamon. I will not stand for her actions, nor will the Master."

"I understand," Makuramon answered, standing and dashing off to fulfill his orders.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Alright, I think we can take a break now," Chiharu said. They'd just made it to the top of the Mountain of Azulongmon, and had to go back down the other side. It had been hard work, though, and everyone was tired. "Is that okay with you, Antylamon?"

"Yes, that's fine," the Deva answered. "I could use a rest, myself." She sat down, letting down her passengers.

"You know, you're probably going to be punished for what you did to Mihiramon," BlackWarGreymon told her. "You should come with us."

"Yeah, we could always use and extra set of hands," Hideaki added.

Beelzemon nodded, surprising everyone. "With you around, we'll be able to move a lot faster."

"Are you intending to use me as a pack mule?" she asked, but the joke was evident in her voice. "I see your point, though."

"And she could get us to their lair, too," Tsukiko suggested. "I mean, it's gotta be pretty hard to find, right? Otherwise, it would have probably been found by someone already, and they would have sent a message to the Academy."

"You're absolutely right," Antylamon said with a nod. "It _is_ a very hard place to find. It's hard to even give directions too, you'd need to be led there."

"I've got another, totally unrelated question," Mayu said.

"Shoot," the Deva replied, looking at her expectantly.

"How is it that the Academy keeps the peace here in the Digital World? I mean, we haven't met a single human since we got here."

"Humans don't usually stay here very long," she replied. "Every few months, they send a few humans and their partners to gather all sorts of information about how the Digital World is doing. There are little 'checkpoints', as we call them, in some of the cities that can be used to contact any one of the Academies throughout the Human World. If any large problem that needs immediate attention arises before the patrol, a Digimon is supposed to use one of those to call the humans, who would come to deal with the problem."

"That's a pretty interesting system," Wizardmon commented. "We'll have to look for one of those in the next city we go to."

"If we get to any other cities," Hideaki pointed out.

"My, my, how _interesting_," a familiar voice said sarcastically. "All the humans, their partners… and _you_, Antylamon." The group turned to see Makuramon standing up on a high rock. He shook his head. "I'm disappointed in you, Antylamon. You could have been so much. You're strong and fast, and you were a valuable addition to the team." He shook his head. "But I cannot allow your insubordination to go unpunished."

"You again!" Tsukiko yelled. "What, are you stalking us or something?"

"You happen to have something I want," he informed him, and his eyes darted to the Egg in Antylamon's arms. "And I have a little job to do." His eyes met Antylamon's and darkened. "You had so much promise…"

Antylamon stood up. "And I assume you're going to try to destroy these children while you're here?"

"Of course," the monkey Deva replied with a grin. "You didn't expect me to just let them escape, did you?"

"I won't let you harm them," she growled. "These children are the Digital World's last hope."

"Traitor!" Makuramon yelled. "Primal Orb!" But instead of aiming for Antylamon, his attack was headed straight for the children. Antylamon's arm shot out, and the orb hit her right in the hand, causing her to wince.

"You need to leave," Antylamon told the children.

"But what about you?" Yuichi asked. He hadn't known Antylamon for more than a day, but he could tell that she was really nice, and he'd gotten to talk to her when he was riding on her shoulder. They'd become good friends, and he didn't want to just abandon his friend like she was telling him to.

"I'll hold him off, just go!" she ordered. She then looked right at Yuichi and her eyes softened. The rabbit Deva had always been very kind, and she had a soft spot for children, human and Digimon alike. "I'll be fine," she assured him.

Yuichi didn't move, so Wizardmon flew back down on his staff, grabbed Yuichi, and pulled him onto the staff before gaining altitude again. The other humans took off running, followed by ShadowWereGarurumon. The rest of the Digimon flew close behind.

Once Antylamon was sure that the children would be safe, she turned back to Makuramon. "Why do you follow someone whose true intentions are kept a mystery?" she asked.

"I don't need to know the why of it," he told her. "In this war, I'm a soldier, and soldiers don't question their orders."

"You're a pawn, Makuramon," she insisted. "You're just being used. With all of your failures, you're sure to be punished sooner or later. You're expendable to Apocalymon!"

"Not all of my missions have been failures," he replied, referring to his last trip to the Human World, when he retrieved Kumbhiramon's Egg. "And I'm about to succeed in another."

"You won't make it to the children," Antylamon told him, eyes narrowed.

The monkey Deva simply shook his head. "That isn't what I meant," he said, and a split second later, he attacked.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Every so often, the children would glance behind them, hoping to see Antylamon catching up with them. Finally, a much different sight met their eyes.

"Antylamon!" Yuichi yelled as tears formed in his eyes. Though they were too far away from the battle to see what was going on, they _could_ see the bits of data that flew around. There was too much for it to be Makuramon. That amount of data could only belong to a Digimon as large as Antylamon. "We have to go back!" he yelled. "We have to help her!"

"It's too late," Wizardmon said softly. He raised his arm and pulled his cape over his partner, obstructing the boy's view from the terrible sight. "There's nothing we can do."

Chiharu continued running, ignoring every thought that told her to go back there and get revenge for their fallen friend. They were tired from the long trek, and that meant that they were in no condition to fight. All they could do was run, so that they could live to fight another day. That was too friends that were lost, and that was unacceptable. She looked to the sky and met Beelzemon's gaze. They nodded at each other, clearly thinking the same thing: They will pay.

**Next time:  
Tsukiko: We've finally made it.  
ShadowWereGarurumon: The Volcano of Zhuqiaomon.  
Indramon: I'm surprised to see you've made it this far. Makuramon must not be doing his job correctly.  
Chiharu: **_**Oh, he's done it well enough.**_

**Woot! I'm back from Europe, and let me tell you, it was **_**amazing**_**! I got to see the Palace of Versailles, and go into the Vatican. I got to see the Roman Coliseum, the Roman Forum, Pompeii, the Louver, the Parthenon… you get the picture. Anyway, sorry this got up pretty late, I was doing stuff, and since I haven't been actually writing for three weeks (remember, the last three weeks' chapters were finished way ahead of time), so I kinda forgot. Whoops. Sorry if any of you hate me for killing off Antylamon. And sorry that the preview isn't very exciting, I think the next chapter might be a little boring because I don't have much planned for it, other than the battle with Indramon. It's kind of a filler. And, hehe, you're free to call me crazy here, but the bit of dialogue between the two Devas in this chapter, for some reason, makes me kinda ship AntylamonxMakuramon. Or at least, **_**my**_** Antylamon and Makuramon.**

**So: Reviews, Questions, and Covers, please~ If you people would like, because I don't think I ever put in a good description of any of the characters except **_**maybe**_** Chiharu, let me know if you want me to put up the character descriptions on my profile. Alright, until next week~**


	24. Out of the Frying Pan

**Question 1: If this story became a manga, how popular would it be, and who would be the most popular character?  
Me: If it became a..? I wish! Anyway, not to toot my own horn, but from what I've seen with all the good reviews you all give me, and how many views, favorites, and follows it has (which is a **_**lot**_** for one of my stories), I'd say it'd be pretty popular, with the Digimon fans, at least.  
Chiharu: Um… I'm not trying to say I'm the best, or anything, but the main character tends to be pretty popular, so… Me and Beelzemon, maybe?  
Beelzemon: You know it!  
Mayu: Oh, puh-leez! **_**I'd**_** be the most popular, and you know it.  
Hideaki: Yeah, right. I'd have to say that either Chiharu or Tsukiko would be the most popular characters.  
Satoru: I'd have to agree with Hideaki on that one. Beelzemon's definitely in the running, though.  
Yuichi: I think Chiharu would definitely be the most popular!  
Tsukiko: *laughs* I think we've got a group consensus… mostly. Chiharu's definitely the most popular, being the main character and all.  
Me: True, not to mention that she's very kind, pretty smart, and has a strong sense of justice and loyalty. Casting my vote, I'd have to say either Chiharu, Tsukiko, Beelzemon, or Nakayama. I know I haven't shown much of him, but one of my friends absolutely adores him, and he is a pretty fun character. But, how about this? You guys can vote for your favorite character. The poll will run until the end of the season, and then the winner will be announced at the end of the final episode. Cast in your votes, everyone!  
Question 2: Will Antylamon come back?  
Me: In this season? No. **_**But**_** we may see her again when Season 2 rolls around~**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, but the Academy, layout of this Digital World, the humans, and the story belong to me.**

The Digi-Destined traveled in silence. Chiharu had never been big on fighting or revenge, but the Devas and their allies had gone too far. First, they'd lost the Shadowlord to Reapermon. Lucemon had avenged it, but that wouldn't bring it back. Then… they'd lost Antylamon. She'd helped them so much by giving them important information, and even helping them escape from Makuramon. What really bothered Chiharu was that Antylamon's killer was still out there, and who's to say that they wouldn't be helped by another Digimon? And what would stop Makuramon from destroying _that_ ally, too?

"Why did Makuramon have to destroy her like that?" Yuichi asked softly.

Tsukiko looked at the little boy sadly. "Whether we like it or not, this is a war, kid. And every war has casualties." Even though she spoke the truth, she wished that there could have been another way. She'd known that Antylamon probably wouldn't be able to win, but she'd said nothing. The rabbit Deva wouldn't have let them stay, and she was still a little worn out from her battle with Mihiramon, while Makuramon, as cunning as he was, had a distinct advantage over her.

Hideaki closed his eyes. Was this how it was going to be? Was he going to be forced to say good-bye to all of the friends that he'd made? Would he lose them, one by one? Now that things were finally starting to go right for him, he couldn't help but feel that it was all spiraling downward. So far, they'd just lost allies. It was only a matter of time, though, until they lost one of their own.

"So," Chiharu started, hoping to try to get everyone's mind off of it. "How many more enemies do we have after the Devas are gone?"

"Well, we got rid of Reapermon," Beelzemon replied, "so that'd leave the Dex, Ogudomon, Apocalymon, and their Master."

"Who is this 'Master', anyway?" Mayu asked. She looked from one Demon Lord to the other and back again. "You two know, don't you?" But neither replied.

"My advice?" Chiharu commented. "Stop trying. I gave up on it a long time ago."

Mayu sighed. Usually, she hated agreeing with her leader, but right now, it made sense, and she wasn't in the mood to argue, anyway. Even she was upset by the loss of Antylamon.

"Alright," Chiharu said as the temperature began increasing. "We're getting close, so I think we can go ahead and make camp for the night."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Beelzemon stared at the sky, lost in thought. Maybe it was wrong to keep the children in the dark about the real enemy. Maybe they should be prepared for what they'd be going up against.

"It's bothering you too, is it?" Lucemon asked, pulling Beelzemon from his thoughts.

"Yeah," the Demon Lord of Gluttony replied. "I think we should tell 'em. Don't they have the right ta know what they're gonna face?"

Lucemon shook his head. "No, we'll keep this to ourselves for now. From what we've heard, he can't get through to the Digital World right now. We've still got some time, and if we hurry, we can put a stop to it without having to face him."

"I see where yer coming from," Beelzemon started, "but what if we're too late?"

"If it looks like we won't be able to stop them in time, then we'll tell them," Lucemon answered. "If we can end this without having to fight him, I don't want to worry the others over nothing."

Beelzemon was surprised. Was Lucemon actually looking out for the others? "Alright," he agreed.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"So, do we have a plan, or are we just going to wing it like we always do?" Hideaki asked.

"What do you mean?" Chiharu asked.

The boy shrugged. "We just always go into a fight blind," he replied. "That's all. I was wondering if there was any way we could come up with a plan of some sort."

"Hmm…" the leader thought. As soon as Beelzemon and Lucemon returned to the group (they were being secretive again), she looked at her partner. "What are we up against here?" she asked. "Tell us all that you can remember about Indramon."

_Pushy, much_? The Demon Lord thought to himself. "He's really only got one attack to watch out for: Horn of Desolation."

"Strong sound waves are emitted from his shell-like horn, creating a devastating attack," Lucemon added.

"He tries to pick away at yer mind, too," Beelzemon continued. When he received confused looks from the rest of the team, he added, "Once he finds any sort of weakness, anything that makes you feel guilty or anything like that, he uses it to get at you. He'll try to confuse you, and when yer in a position when ya can't tell what's right and what's wrong… that's when he strikes."

"_Never_ show him a reaction to anything he says," Lucemon advised.

"If ya do," Beelzemon finished, "then it's all over."

"We just have to hope that he doesn't know about Antylamon yet," Satoru said. The others nodded. If Indramon was as bad as the Demon Lords were telling them, then he'd exploit the pain they felt over that and use it against them.

"So, since we're trying to make a plan, here," Chiharu started, "does anyone have any ideas?"

The group was silent for a moment before Wizardmon spoke up. "I don't think we should all attack at once," he suggested. "If only a few of us approach him where he can see them, then they can serve as a distraction, while the other group approaches from behind. That way, if Indramon _does_ start to play mind games, we still have another team ready for action."

"I like that plan," Chiharu said thoughtfully. "Any objections?" When no one answered, she smiled. "Then that's what we're going to do. Sleep tight, everyone."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The next morning, the kids and their partners continued to the Volcano. When they reached it, they felt a very strong wave of heat coming from the ground.

"We've finally made it," Tsukiko said, grateful that they had arrived after those long days of travel. Hopefully, if all went well, this battle would take their minds off the losses they'd suffered.

"The Volcano of Zhuqiaomon," ShadowWereGarurumon whispered, almost not believing that they'd made it. Very soon, they will have beaten all the Devas, and their mission would be almost over. Then they could return to the mostly peaceful life they'd had at the Academy.

Chiharu was dreading this hike. Not only would it lead them to another fight, but it was deathly hot. If Indramon didn't destroy them, then the heat probably would, instead.

Mayu sighed as they started walking. It was a good thing she'd had these new shoes made. The heat of the Volcano would have melted her sandals in an instant. Of course, the heat was still unbearable, but at least she had sturdy shoes. She shuddered to think of walking in her bare feet.

"Okay, Indramon may show up at any moment," Chiharu told the group, so I think we should split off now. Yuichi, Wizardmon, Satoru, and Lilamon, you're with me. The rest of you go on ahead, but stay out of sight. When you see Indramon, if you run into him before we do, stay hidden until we arrive and distract him." She looked at Mayu. "I'm leaving you in charge. Can you handle that?"

"Can I handle it?" the blonde asked, raising an eyebrow. "Are you kidding? We'll be fine." She shot Chiharu a quick grin before leaving with the others. She'd initially hated the brunette, but though Mayu would never admit it, Chiharu was actually starting to grow on her. She was even starting to see the other girl as a friend.

Chiharu watched the other team go, and then looked back at her own. "Alright, let's get moving," she said, and they started their own trek. It wasn't long before they found what—or rather, _who_—they were looking for.

The large, two-legged horse Deva looked down at the group with contempt. "I'm surprised to see you've made it this far. Makuramon must not be doing his job correctly."

_Oh, he's done it well enough_, Chiharu thought angrily. Unfortunately, she hadn't counted on Indramon being so observant.

"Or perhaps he has," he mused. "Who is it that you've lost? One of your own? An ally?"

Chiharu tried to keep herself from breaking, but he was doing exactly what Beelzemon and Lucemon had warned them of. He was toying with their minds, making them weak.

"Double Impact!" Beelzemon attacked, trying to shut the horse Deva up. The bullets hit, but Beelzemon couldn't help noticing that the attack wasn't as powerful. Were he and Chiharu really connected so much that her weakness affected him as well? "Chiharu, snap out of it!" he yelled.

But his partner wasn't responding. Instead, she was glaring up at Indramon, though her eyes were wet with unshed tears. "I'll make you all pay," she whispered.

"Antylamon died saving us!" Yuichi yelled. "Stop trying to make everything worse!"

"You moron!" Beelzemon yelled. The little boy had just revealed to their enemy even more information to use against them.

"Ah, Antylamon, was it?" he mused. "I always knew she'd turn against us. It was obvious that her weak philosophy of helping others would be her downfall. It's good that she's gone, that makes one less inconvenience for us." He smirked. "And she died protecting you, did she?" He chuckled darkly. "Then it's your fault that she's gone. All the blame for her death falls on your shoulders, humans. And you, Lord Beelzemon," he added. "If you had stayed in your Egg, this girl would never have been a part of all of this. She wouldn't have to hurt so much, or to sacrifice anything. It's your fault that she's in so much pain, you know. You're the one to blame."

Beelzemon had been about to attempt an attack again, but he paused. Normally, what Indramon said would never bother him, but his words rang true this time. If he'd never become Chiharu's partner, then she wouldn't have been put in this kind of situation. She'd still be happy at home, doing whatever it was that she'd done before enrolling at Digimon Academy. She wouldn't have to fight. She wouldn't have to hurt. She wouldn't—

"Now it's _your_ turn to snap out of it, Beelzemon!" Lilamon yelled, trying to wake the Demon Lord from his thoughts. "None of this was your fault. You couldn't help it that you became Chiharu's partner. You hated her at the start, remember? So you had nothing to do with it. It was destiny, right? It was also Chiharu's choice. She could have said no. She could have tried to walk out, but she didn't." The plant Digimon shook her head. "It's not your fault that she's here. She chose to listen to her destiny, and she chose to fight."

Wizardmon nodded. "We all accepted the risks when we came here. We need to overcome past mistakes. What's done is done, and there's nothing we can do to change any of it. We should honor the memory of those we lost and keep moving forward. For their sake." He was talking to not only Beelzemon now, but Chiharu as well.

"How touching," Indramon said sarcastically. "But useless. They already have their doubts. And without a stable leader, the entire team will slowly fall apart."

"Don't be so sure of that!"

"Grand Cross!"

Indramon turned to be hit in the face with a large, cross shaped light. He shook his head, trying to get his bearings, and glared down at the second team who'd dared to attack him.

"Your mind games won't work on us," Mayu said with a smirk. She, Hideaki, and Tsukiko had all been guilted so much in the past that they were almost immune, making them the best team to take on this Deva.

"Terra Force!" BlackWarGreymon yelled, hurling a giant ball of red-hot energy at their opponent.

"Horn of Desolation!" Indramon countered, and the sound waves quickly dwindled BlackWarGreymon's attack into nothing. The humans were knocked off their feet.

"Alright," Mayu growled. "Enough playing around."

Tsukiko stood, and then helped the other two up. She pulled out her D-Agent, along with a card. "Digital Enhancement. Digmon's Drill: Connect!"

Hideaki pulled out his own D-Agent. "Digital Enhancement. Avenging Knight: Connect!"

"Digital Ability. Magnamon's Magna Blast: Connect!" Mayu yelled, following her team's lead.

"Magna Blast!" Lucemon attacked, and the burst of light flew right toward Indramon's chest.

ShadowWereGarurumon, taking advantage of the Deva's temporary distraction, darted forward. He began drilling the ground around Indramon's feet. BlackWarGreymon, seeing ShadowWereGarurumon's plan, flew around the horse Deva's head, keeping him distracted long enough for his Ultimate friend to finish his job.

"Terra Force!" the Mega yelled, and to his surprise, the lances on both of his arms glowed red-hot, and soon the heat began collecting at the tips, forming spheres that grew larger by the second. They weren't as large as when he attacked normally, but they were still a formidable size, and there were two of them, doubling the damage. They hit both of Indramon's shoulders with such force that the Deva stumbled backwards… right into ShadowWereGarurumon's trap.

The Deva's hooves sunk into the loose ground. With the weight of the large Digimon, the ground gave out, causing the Deva to fall into a pit of molten material and be destroyed. His data rushed out of the pit and flew off in a seemingly random direction.

"Where do you think it's going?" Yuichi asked.

"Primary Village, maybe?" Wizardmon suggested.

"But why would his be the only Egg to go to Primary Village? The others just turned into Eggs where they were destroyed," Hideaki commented.

Tsukiko looked down into the pit. "Maybe because a lava pit isn't the safest place for an Egg, Digital or not."

"You have a point," ShadowWereGarurumon put in. "So, do you think it'll stay out of Makuramon's hands, since it's going to Primary Village?"

"Don't bet on it," Beelzemon growled, his guilt mostly forgotten at the mention of the monkey Deva.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Makuramon paced angrily. The children were getting to be a royal pain in the ass, and he wasn't able to do much in the way of destroying them. He'd tried again and again, but they foiled his every plan. They were running low on Devas. Now only he, Sinduramon, Vikaralamon and Indramon were—

The monkey Deva was jolted out of his thoughts when he saw a stream of data flowing past through the sky. It couldn't be… But he felt a familiar power from it, so it must have been true. The children _had_ been heading for the Volcano, so they must have reached it. "Treasure Orb!" he yelled, hurling the attack at the data. He grinned when his plan worked. The data gathered around the orb, which then flew back into his hands like a boomerang. The orb disappeared, and the data came together and solidified, making an Egg. "So there are only three of us left," he muttered darkly. "He isn't going to be happy about this…"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Even though the battle was over, Chiharu didn't seem to be any better. She stared blankly at the ground. "It's my fault, isn't it?" she asked. "I'm the leader. I led everyone away from Antylamon. She _died_ because I made everyone leave." She lowered her voice to a choked whisper. "She died because we didn't stay…"

"That ain't the truth, and you know it," Beelzemon told her. She was his best friend, and he hated seeing her like this. It just wasn't like Chiharu to get this depressed over something.

She looked up at him. "But—"

"No buts," the Demon Lord interrupted. "The past can't be changed," he told her, "so there's no use worryin' about it. Even if it _was_ your fault—which it wasn't—we can't change what happened. Instead, let's fight fer them. Fer Antylamon and the Shadowlord."

Those words seemed to snap the leader out of it. "Thanks," she said with the tiniest of smiles. "I needed that. Alright, we'd better start heading for the Forest of Baihumon, then. We'll get ride of the rest of the Devas, the Dex, Ogudomon, Apocalymon, and their Master. That way, no one will ever have to suffer the losses that we have ever again."

"That's the spirit," Tsukiko said, clapping a hand on her leader's shoulder. "Good to have you back, Chiharu."

"So, after we defeat Sinduramon in the Forest, how do we find the last two Devas?" Mayu asked.

"Well," Lucemon started, "I suppose we should try to gather information on Vikaralamon's whereabouts. We happened on most of the other Devas by chance, but I'd rather we finished this sooner rather than later."

"And Makuramon's bound to show up when we defeat Vikaralamon or Sinduramon," Satoru reasoned.

"Then we only have to find out where the Dex, Apocalymon, and Ogudomon are," Yuichi added.

"Wherever Apocalymon is, Ogudomon is bound to be nearby. Ogudomon was a Digimon of Gates. He's probably how they managed to open all those Gates to the Real World," Beelzemon said.

"As for the Dex, they lay claim to a certain territory, so if we go there, they're bound to attack us at some point," Lucemon pointed out.

"Okay," Chiharu said. "So we'll head to the Forest of Baihumon, then go on to the Dex territory. After that, we'll try and get some information about where Vikaralamon is, and then find where Apocalymon's hiding."

"Sounds like a plan," Hideaki said with a nod.

Mayu nodded as well. "Yep, I like that plan." When she received multiple strange looks for agreeing with their leader, she said defensively, "What? It only makes sense, doesn't it?"

"We'll leave tomorrow morning," the leader suggested. "First, let's get out of this unbearable heat, and then we can take a break and keep going tomorrow. I don't know about the rest of you, but I could really use some rest." The others nodded in agreement.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Hey, are you okay?"

Chiharu looked up, startled to see that Mayu had been the one to come over and ask.

"Um, yeah, I'm fine," she said, getting over her shock. "Not that I don't appreciate your concern, but why do you care? I thought you hated my guts."

The blonde shrugged. "I figured out that maybe you're not so bad," she replied honestly. "To be honest, I think I was a little jealous. I mean, you've got this perfect life and great friends. Me? I've got… never mind…"

"What?" Chiharu asked. "You can tell me."

"No, it's nothing," the other girl said, shaking her head. "Are you sure you're okay? You seemed to be hit pretty hard by what Indramon said. I wasn't really close enough to hear what was going on? What did he even say that affected you that much?"

"He said that… he started by reminding us that a friend of ours was dead. When he found out that it was Antylamon, he said that it was a good thing that she was gone, and that it was because of me that it happened. If we had stayed… If I had made us stay… maybe she could have survived."

Mayu stared at the brunette for a long time. "Look," she started, "I think I'm going to have to agree with Beelzemon that it wasn't your fault." She put a hand on Chiharu's shoulder. "None of us blame you, and I'm sure Antylamon doesn't, either."

"Thanks," Chiharu said with a small smile. "I needed that. I think I'm fine, now."

"Good," Mayu replied, smiling back. "We can't have our leader falling apart now, can we?" She started to walk away. "Good night!" she called over her shoulder.

"Good night," Chiharu replied, and her smile grew a little bit bigger. Today was a rough day, but the stress of being the leader was actually not nearly as bad, now that she knew Mayu didn't hate her anymore. She had been worried that she'd have horrible nightmares when she went to sleep, but now she wasn't afraid of falling asleep anymore.

**Next time:  
Chiharu: This is taking way too long. There's got to be a faster way to the Forest.  
Beelzemon: There **_**is**_** a faster way, but we'll be cuttin' through Dex territory.  
Tsukiko: We can get rid of them faster, then.  
Chiharu: Okay, let's go.  
DexDorugamon: So you must be the children that have been giving Makuramon such a hard time.  
DexDoruGreymon: We'll just have to do that ape's job for him, then.**

**Ugh, I **_**really**_** don't like the way this chapter came out, but… whatever. I didn't know what to do with it, so I just let it write itself, and this is what happened. If you don't like this chapter, please don't tell me that, since I already know it's bad. But don't lie to make me feel better, either. Just don't say anything. *bangs head on desk* Hopefully, the next chapter will be a lot better.**

**Anyway, now we have another thing to add to the list: Review, Questions, Covers, and Vote for your favorite character~ You can only vote once (aka, even if you vote for the same character in every review you give, it will only be counted once), and you can vote for two characters. Remember, the poll is open until the end of the season. Well then, until next time~**


	25. Digivolution Revolution

**Question 1: Who exactly are the Dex, and where is their territory?  
Me: Well, they're—  
Beelzemon: Learn ta be patient, and you'll find out!  
Chiharu: Beelzemon! But, yeah, this **_**is**_** the episode about the Dex.  
Question 2: Do you accept OCs this late?  
Me: Sorry, but the answer to that is no. Actually, I don't have anyone's OCs except my own in this story. There **_**is**_**, however, going to be a Season 2 shortly after this one is over. That one's an OC story. It takes place 10 years after this one, so you'll see quite a few of our favorite characters from this Season in the next one as well. I'll let you know when we're getting closer to the end, and that's when I'll start accepting people's OCs for the next one.**

**Disclaimer: I own the human characters, the Academy, the layout/history of the Digital World, and the plot. The Digimon themselves, however, do **_**NOT**_** belong to me.**

The group was beginning to get a grasp of just how large the Digital World was when they'd been walking for a week and a half, and there was still no sign of any forest.

"This is taking way too long," Chiharu stated. "There's got to be a faster way to the Forest." She looked at the two Demon Lords. After all, they were the only ones with memories of Digital, so they had to know _some_ way of getting there.

"There _is_ a faster way," Beelzemon started, "but we'll be cuttin' through Dex territory."

"We can get rid of them faster, then," Tsukiko pointed out.

Chiharu nodded. "Okay, let's go."

"I'm warning ya," the Demon Lord of Gluttony said. "The Dex ain't like normal Digimon."

"What _are_ the Dex, anyway?" Mayu asked.

"They were a group of four normal Digimon at one time," Lucemon explained. "However, a terrible virus began spreading throughout the Digital World, and these four were infected. There was one Dorugamon, one DoruGreymon, and two Dorugoramon. When they became infected, their data was mutated."

"They turned into some kinda Frankensteins," Beelzemon added. "The virus also made 'em evil, and they became the Dex. One of the DexDorugoramon Digivolved, and it became Dexmon, the leader of the four."

"They served us, but when we disappeared, we can only assume that they joined the others in following their new Master," Lucemon concluded.

"So, since they were mutated… how strong are they?" Hideaki asked.

"Strong enough that no Digimon that ever entered their territory got away alive," Beelzemon answered, and the Digi-Destined looked at each other nervously.

Lilamon decided to speak up. "But, since they followed you at one point, that means that you're probably stronger than they are, plus, there's the rest of us. I think we'll be fine."

BlackWarGreymon nodded. "She's got a good point."

"So…" Satoru started. "Where's their territory?"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"First a volcano, now a desert?" Mayu complained.

"It's a shortcut, so we shouldn't be here too long," Chiharu said.

"Don't we have to fight the Dex, though, too?" Yuichi asked, bringing up a very good point.

"Speaking of whom, where are they?" Wizardmon asked, looking around. It was the desert, so they could see for miles and miles, and there was nothing to see.

"So… how much danger _are_ we in, exactly?" Hideaki asked. "I mean, you said they're stronger than other Digimon, so…"

Lucemon sighed. "They're very aggressive. Due to their mutated state, they're unstable, so they try to absorb the data of other Digimon to stabilize their own."

"Don't let 'em touch your chest," Beelzemon added. "They can steal your DigiCores."

"They _what_?!" ShadowWereGarurumon yelled. "We're turning around right now and getting the heck out of here."

"What's a DigiCore?" Yuichi asked.

"A DigiCore is kind of like a Digimon's heart," Wizardmon answered. "It stores all of our important information, and without it, we die." He looked back at Beelzemon. "You said they can _steal_ them?"

"Yeah, they have this attack called Metal Cast. It makes them able to reach in and take yer DigiCore."

"I have one more question," Mayu said nervously. "What… What would happen if one of them used Metal Cast on a human…?"

"They'd rip out your heart," Lucemon answered honestly. "And then you would die."

Chiharu took a deep breath to try to calm her badly shaken nerves. They'd always been in danger, here in the Digital World, but in this place, this desert, it was a clear possibility that they could die easily. "Let's just… let's get through here as fast as we can. If we're lucky, we'll get through without running into them."

Almost as soon as those words left her mouth, three figures came into view from behind some large dunes. One was about the size of an average adult, with black fur going down its back. Its arms and legs were mechanical, ending in sharp, blood-red talons. Its muzzle was covered with a large metal mask, and there were small holes for the eyes, which glowed red. Its wings seemed to be stitched together with a blue material of some sort, and the joint on both wings had a large screw sticking out of it. Its tail was stitched together as well, and it opened up into many live, electric cables, buzzing with electricity.

"That's DexDorugamon," Beelzemon said. "He's got an attack called Cannonball."

The next was the size of a large dragon. It was black, but there were red scales around its feet and down the back of its neck. It had large red wings and many serrated silver blades running down its neck. A silver mask covered its face, but unlike DexDorugamon, this one had no eyehole. There was a large, crooked, serrated blade jutting out from the nose, and many thick red tendrils spiraled down its metal tail.

"DexDoruGreymon," Lucemon informed them. "His attacks are Bloody Cave and Metal Meteor."

The last was even bigger, and was covered in dark armor. Its long metal tail ended in a clear sphere, where there was a lot of purple energy swirling around. The sphere emitted a purple haze. It had large red blades on its knees, and it had many wings, half of which were black and leathery, while the other half were red and feathered, but the two types weren't separated on each side. Instead, they were placed in an alternating pattern.

"DexDorugoramon," Beelzemon finished. "He's got attacks called DORU Din and Metal Impulse."

"So you must be the children that have been giving Makuramon such a hard time," DexDorugamon said. His voice sounded like a raspy hiss.

"We'll have to do that ape's job for him, then," DexDoruGreymon added in a low growl.

"Cannonball!" DexDorugamon shot a large iron sphere from his mouth, aimed directly at the group. They scattered, and Lilamon was the first to respond.

"Marvel Shot!" she yelled, aiming her attack directly at DexDorugamon. He was the smallest, meaning that he could get the closest to them. And that meant that he was the most likely to be able to rip out their DigiCores.

The Dex took the attack head on, but he seemed mostly unfazed. He shook it off as though it was nothing.

"Metal Meteor!" DexDoruGreymon retaliated for his fellow Dex. He shot a much larger iron sphere, which hit Lilamon, throwing her to the ground.

Yuichi, seeing that this was going to be a tough battle, pulled out his D-Agent. "Digital Enhancement. Digivolve: Connect!"

"Wizardmon Digivolve to… Mummymon!" The Ultimate turned to face their attackers. "Snake Bandage!"

DexDoruGreymon was temporarily immobilized, something that the rest of the Digimon took advantage of.

"Double Impact!"

"Grand Cross!"

"Full Moon Kick!"

"Terra Force!"

All the attacks hit, but they just seemed to be absorbed by the mutant Digimon.

"Metal Cast!" DexDorugamon yelled, darting straight toward ShadowWereGarurumon. The Ultimate dodged out of the way just in time.

"Full Moon Kick!" he attacked again.

"Hey, Lucemon!" Hideaki called, and the Demon Lord looked down at the child, having taken refuge in the air.

"What?"

"You said that their data's unstable, right?" he asked.

"Yes."

Hideaki smiled a little, formulating a plan. "So, if they were hit by, say, a large sound wave, it would make their data worse? Would they be a lot easier to beat?"

"Yes," Lucemon replied, not understanding at first where the human was going with this. Then he remembered their last battle.

Hideaki removed a new card from his deck. "Digital Ability. Indramon's Horn of Desolation: Connect!"

What appeared to be a swirling mass of air gathered in BlackWarGreymon's hands, growing larger by the second, much like his own attack, Terra Force. "Horn of Desolation!" he yelled, hurling the mass forward, and it grew to a much larger size, hitting all of the Dex.

"Okay, everyone, attack now!" Chiharu yelled.

"Marvel Shot!"

"Double Impact!"

"Full Moon Kick!"

"Snake Bandage!"

Lucemon was about to use his regular attack, but then thought better of it. There was only one way to guarantee their defeat. "Ultimate Sacrifice!" The attack, however, only destroyed DexDorugamon and DexDoruGreymon. DexDorugoramon was badly injured, but recovering.

"DORU Din!" it yelled, attacking. The group had to dodge again.

"This guy won't stay down!" Mummymon muttered.

"Un Deux Pollen!" Lilamon attacked, hoping that adding paralysis to the list of incapacitations would make him easier to beat.

DexDorugoramon was frozen, but his body was shaking with the effort to move.

"We're gonna need the extra firepower fer this!" Beelzemon yelled, and Chiharu nodded.

"Digital Enhancement. Blast Mode: Connect!"

Beelzemon, now in Blast Mode, raised his Blaster. "Corona Blaster!" he yelled, shooting out to large ball of pink energy directly at their weak, paralyzed opponent. He disintegrated immediately.

"_Finally_," Mayu said, relieved.

"Not so fast, Princess," Beelzemon said.

"What do you mean?" the blonde asked. "And quit calling me that!"

"There were _four_ Dex, remember? We still gotta deal with—"

The ground rumbled, and a very large Digimon came aboveground. It was ridiculously large, and looked like it was mostly made of a simple glowing, green digital frame. It had bits of purple armor, and wings very similar to DexDorugoramon. It had sharp metal claws, and an intricate black and purple mask covered its face.

"You have defeated my brethren," it said in a monotonous, robotic voice. "Now you must pay."

"Oh, shit," Beelzemon said.

"We're dead," Lucemon contributed.

"What?" Chiharu asked, worried. "What's the problem?"

"Dexmon's the strongest of any of the Dex. It can't really even be classified as a Digimon, because it has no DigiCore," Lucemon explained. "Instead, it has attacks called Process '0' and Process 'F'."

"They mess with every single byte of data stored in a Digimon's DigiCore," Beelzemon added. "It's one of the most dangerous Digimon in existence."

"Process '0'," Dexmon said in that same robotic voice. There was a lilac circle in the mask, and a beam of light shot out of it. Lilamon, Mummymon, and ShadowWereGarurumon were fast enough or far enough away to avoid being hit, but Lucemon, Beelzemon, and BlackWarGreymon weren't so lucky.

The three hit by the devastating attack screamed in agony as their data was disassembled and reassembled repeatedly. The group could see them phase in and out, and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

"Beelzemon, no!" Chiharu yelled, starting to run forward, but Tsukiko grabbed one of her arms, while Mayu grabbed the other.

"You can't help them," Mayu said, trying to reason with their leader. "In the Digital World, we're data, too. You'll just die if you go out there."

Chiharu sighed and stopped fighting her friends. Mayu was right. Beelzemon wouldn't want her to die for nothing. Even if she lost her partner, she still had to lead what was left of their team to finish the mission they'd come here to do.

Mummymon, Lilamon, and ShadowWereGarurumon watched helplessly as their friends were being tortured. There was nothing they could do, not without dying, themselves.

"There must be _something_ we can do," Lilamon said desperately.

"What we need is a miracle," ShadowWereGarurumon muttered.

But, as it turned out, a miracle came their way. The humans were able to draw their eyes away from the horrifying scene when they saw the remaining three Digimon glowing.

"Lilamon Digivolve to… Rosemon!"

"Mummymon Digivolve to… Pharaohmon!"

"ShadowWereGarurumon Digivolve to… BlackMetalGarurumon!"

"Rosemon," Satoru read, "Mega Level. Attacks: Thorn Whipping, Rose Spear, Forbidden Temptation, and Rosy Cradle."

"Pharaohmon," Yuichi said in awe, "Mega Level. Attacks: Necromist and Fist of Nile."

"BlackMetalGarurumon," Tsukiko finished, "also Mega Level. Attacks: Freezing Breath and Blizzard Wolf Claw."

"Let's do this!" Rosemon yelled. She floated up behind Dexmon, while the other two followed on the ground. Their target was still busy torturing its victims, so it didn't notice. "Rose Spear!"

"Blizzard Wolf Claw!"

"Fist of Nile!"

The three attacks barely did any damage, but they caught Dexmon's attention, causing the beam if its attack to disappear. It turned, and the humans pulled the three weakened Digimon out of the battlefield.

"Process '0'," Dexmon attacked, intending to incapacitate the other three, but just in time, their human partners acted.

"Digital Enhancement. Speed: Connect!"

The three were blurs, dodging this way and that to keep Dexmon's attention on them.

"Thorn Whipping!" Rosemon yelled, extending one of her whips to wrap around what she was pretty sure was Dexmon's neck.

"Necromist!" Pharaohmon attacked as well. The gas released from his body surrounded their opponent.

"Freezing Breath!" BlackMetalGarurumon yelled, and ice soon covered the last of the remaining Dex.

Rosemon brought her hands together, and began glowing with a fierce pink color. "Forbidden Temptation!" she yelled, and rose petals surrounded her before shooting down at their frozen enemy. It took about two minutes of continuous firing, but eventually, it was destroyed as well.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Makuramon couldn't believe this. The other three Digimon had reached their Mega Levels, _and_ they'd defeated the Dex, some of their strongest allies. The monkey Deva was starting to question if he really had a chance of winning, but then shook the thought from his mind. His Master was the strongest Digimon in existence, even stronger than all seven Demon Lords combined. After all, they hadn't been able to defeat him, they could only lock him away. He hated to be the bringer of all the bad news. If he wasn't such a valuable spy, Apocalymon would kill him for sure.

For his own survival, he could only hope that the Master was unsealed before the Digi-Destined found where they'd been based this whole time.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"What do we do?" Hideaki asked, staring at his weakened partner. He was surprised that BlackWarGreymon, Beelzemon, and Lucemon hadn't been reduced to their Rookie forms.

The three Digimon that had been hit with Process '0' were still in very bad condition, and they were even still phasing in and out. Their data would start to disperse, and then go back into place over and over again.

Chiharu stared at them, shaking with fear. They'd almost lost three valuable teammates and good friends, and it was all her fault yet again. She'd led them here to the desert, to the Dex territory. She'd led them straight into disaster. She was like Charon, leading her friends down the River Styx. Indramon was right. Everything that they'd faced, every near death experience… they were all her fault. When Mayu had almost fallen into the group of Dokugumon, that was because Chiharu had decided to go up to the Demon Lords' castle. Wizardmon being poisoned with a deadly virus? That was he fault, too. The Shadowlord had died when she made the decision to go down and fight Reapermon. And Antylamon… if she'd given the order to stay, their Deva friend would still be with them. And now this… they were about to lose three teammates, because she made the idiot decision to take a shortcut through a dangerous area. Why did the Headmaster decide to make her leader? She'd made bad choices left and right.

"I have an idea," Mayu said, pulling out her deck. She showed them the 'Recharge' card. "It might help," she suggested.

The other two nodded solemnly and pulled out their own decks, removing their Recharge cards.

"Digital Enhancement. Recharge: Connect!"

The three afflicted Digimon were surrounded with a light glow, and their data stabilized. There were still a bit weak, but they were no longer in danger of dying.

"Let's try to get out of this desert, and then we can rest up," Chiharu said.

"Shouldn't we wait until they're stronger?" Satoru asked. The reluctant leader shook her head.

"They need water, and in case you hadn't noticed, we're in the middle of a desert," she replied, and then whistled for Behemoth. The bike appeared within five minutes, and Chiharu helped Beelzemon on. She knew it would be slow going, but they had to keep moving.

Pharaohmon Degenerated back to Wizardmon, and Rosemon Degenerated back to Lilamon. BlackMetalGarurumon was going to return to Ultimate form as well, but he figured that he would still be needed like this. He managed to get BlackWarGreymon on his back, and took off running, glad for the strength of his Mega form. Chiharu also encouraged Behemoth to go on ahead. The sooner Dexmon's victims were out of the intense desert heat, the better. Tsukiko and Satoru, being the oldest and strongest, supported Lucemon as they walked. Chiharu could only hope that they made it out of the desert before night fell, because otherwise, they would be subject to the harsh below-freezing temperatures of a desert at night.

When they could see the Forest, it was already evening, and the sun was setting quickly. The problem was that the Forest was still at least an hour's walk away, and Chiharu could already see her breath. Things weren't looking good.

But they soon heard the familiar loud engine and saw sand being kicked up as BlackMetalGarurumon and Behemoth approached.

"We found a small clearing just a little ways in," BlackMetalGarurumon told them. "There were some friendly Digimon that agreed to take care of our friends, and we came back to get you guys. We're going to run a shuttle system, basically."

They managed to get Lucemon on Behemoth, though the Demon Lord of Pride kept trying to protest against riding his old adversary's bike. They managed to get Hideaki, Tsukiko, and Mayu on BlackMetalGarurumon, and like before, Yuichi rode with Wizardmon on the Champion's staff. Chiharu and Satoru kept walking until Behemoth returned for the both of them.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

When they arrived in the clearing, they saw many large, brown-furred Digimon scurrying around. They had long ears that seemed to fade from the fur to a silver metal, and they had metal gauntlets with red claws.

"Prairiemon," Chiharu read. "Armor Level. Attacks: Hare's Ear and Dimension Hole."

A few more Prairiemon emerged from the woods, carrying bowls of water. One of the others approached the Digi-Destined.

"Hello," she said with a smile. "We would like to welcome you to the Forest of Baihumon, though we wish it were under better circumstances."

"You're not nervous that we've got two Demon Lords with us?" Mayu asked, confused. So far, every group of Digimon that they'd run into had been terrified of Lucemon and Beelzemon.

Prairiemon shook her head. "Not at all," she answered. "Word's started spreading that the Digi-Destined are here in the Digital World, and that two of them are partnered with some of the Demon Lords." She looked back at the two. "You were fighting the Dex, weren't you?"

"That's right," Chiharu answered.

"I'm surprised you all escaped alive," she said. "It's truly amazing. Most Digimon are destroyed within seconds, but you managed to not only escape, but destroy them as well!"

"Now, maybe life will come back to the desert again!" another Prairiemon said.

"What do you mean?" Tsukiko asked.

The first Prairiemon started to explain. "Long before our time, before the Dex were created, that desert was an open field. Out tribe lived in that field, but when the Dex were created, they sucked all the life out of the land, turning it into a barren desert. Hopefully, now that the Dex are gone, we'll get our true home back."

"I hope it works out for you," Chiharu replied. "And thank you for helping our friends."

"It's no trouble," the hospitable Digimon answered. "Anything to help the saviors of the Digital World. Is there any way you can get rid of Sinduramon for us, once you're all fully recovered?"

"Of course," Satoru replied. "That's why we were coming here in the first place."

"Also, do you know where we can find Majiramon and Vikaralamon?" Hideaki asked.

"Vikaralamon has taken over a food factory," Prairiemon answered. "His hunger is never satisfied, so he works the inhabitants mercilessly. As for Majiramon… I hear he guards Apocalymon's castle, but no one knows where it is. There's some sort of barrier around it, preventing it from being found."

"Oh," Chiharu said, disappointed. It was going to be very hard, finding a barrier-protected castle. She looked at the others. "For now, let's just stay here and rest up. Beelzemon, Lucemon, and BlackWarGreymon need to regain their strength."

"Stay as long as you need," Prairiemon said. "If there's anything you need, just ask."

**Next time:  
Chiharu: Thank you for all that you've done for us.  
Prairiemon: Oh, we were glad to—  
Sinduramon: To help the enemies of the Master is a crime!  
Satoru: No!  
Chiharu: Not again… It's all my fault…  
Beelzemon: Sinduramon, I swear, you're gonna pay, and I'm gonna make sure you feel every second of it.**

**Ugh, this chapter was a pain to write. I tried to drag it on as long as I could, so that it wouldn't be too short, but… ergh. Whatever. Anyway, I hope you liked it. I only kind of did. I'm a sick and twisted person, to nearly kill three of the main characters, I know.**

**So: Reviews, Questions, Covers, and Vote for your favorite character. The poll is now on my profile as well. Anyway, 'til next time~**


	26. Too Many Sacrifices

**Question 1: Prairiemon, I know all the different forms of digimetal that can armor Digivolve, but how many of each are there exactly, and why are there so many?  
Prairiemon: Oh, there's no way to measure exactly how many there are of each. We're just like any other Digimon when it comes to population, there's no real way to tell. But, there are a lot because the Digital World is constantly evolving, and when it does so it has too much data, so it gathers some of that data and concentrates it into an Armor Digi-Egg. Then, a Digimon capable of Armor Digivolution finds and uses the Egg, becoming an Armor Digimon. Does that make sense?  
Me: And I realized a little too late that Lynxmon is actually an Armor Digimon, but… whatever, for the sake of this story, let's just pretend that it's a regular Champion, okay? Please?**

**Disclaimer: I believe you understand this by now.**

Chiharu smiled. The three Digimon that had been attacked by Dexmon were recovering very nicely, and the Prairiemon were showing a lot of hospitality towards humans they didn't know. It was for Digimon like these that she chose to fight. These Digimon didn't deserve the pain and suffering that would afflict the world if the mysterious Master was freed. And if that was the case, the disasters would probably spread to the human world, as well. Chiharu couldn't let that happen. It was her job, after all, to protect both worlds.

Beelzemon glared at the Prairiemon scurrying around. He felt much better thanks to their care, but they still wouldn't let him move around much, and it was really starting to tick him off.

"We're gonna go and get some more water," Tsukiko announced. They were all getting thirsty, and there was a stream nearby that they could get fresh, clean water from.

"Alright, but be careful," Chiharu warned.

Hideaki rolled his eyes. "We've been here for three days, and we haven't even _seen_ Sinduramon yet. We'll be fine."

"Don't say something like that," ShadowWereGarurumon said as the three headed for the stream. "Stuff like that always jinxes us."

"Oh, shush, you," Tsukiko told her partner. "We'll be fine. Even if he _does_ attack, I think we're ready for it. Besides, we've got all the Prairiemon to help us."

"I think they should stay out of it," Hideaki said. "We don't want them to get hurt…"

Tsukiko thought on that for a moment. The boy had a point. Just about everyone who had helped them lately suffered the same fate. They couldn't let more Digimon die for them. "As soon as the others are at up to full strength, we should probably leave and look for Sinduramon."

"That's probably what Chiharu had in mind," the Ultimate said.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Satoru glanced over at the group's leader to see the brunette deep in thought. "Something wrong?" he asked her.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Chiharu looked back at the purple-haired boy. "No, it's nothing," she lied. In truth, she was worrying about what would happen to the Prairiemon if they couldn't find Sinduramon in time. She couldn't bear to be the cause of more deaths. The weight of the loss of the Shadowlord and Antylamon still weighed heavily on her shoulders. She looked over at her partner, who was clearly ready to be back on his feet, though his 'caretakers' didn't want him up and about yet. "Hey, Beelzemon? What can you tell us about Sinduramon?" She figured if she got as much information as she could about their next opponent, they'd be prepared if he decided to attack before they went out and found him.

"Well, his attack's called Positron Pulse. It's kind of an electric sort of attack," the Demon Lord answered.

Lucemon nodded. "Back when we were still in power, at least, he would travel to many different power plants to absorb electricity to strengthen his attack," the Demon Lord of Pride added.

"So then we should be fine," Mayu said. "Right? I mean, this is a Forest. Where is there going to be a power plant?"

One of the Prairiemon, the one that had first welcomed them, shook her head. "No. Once a week, he leaves to recharge at the plant on the other side of the Forest," she answered. "He went yesterday, so attacking him now may be a bad idea."

"The sooner the better," Beelzemon muttered, standing up. This time, he didn't let the Prairiemon push him back down. "You want that big chicken outta your Forest, don't ya?"

"Well, yes, but—"

"No buts, then," he said. "We're gettin' rid of him. Today."

"Hold your horses, there," Chiharu told him. "We have to wait for everyone else to get back, remember?"

As soon as she said that, the three returned, bringing the water they'd gone to retrieve. "We're back!" Tsukiko announced unnecessarily, setting down the large bowls of water she'd been carrying. Hideaki and ShadowWereGarurumon did the same.

"Alright," Chiharu said. "We'll get things ready, get something to drink, and then we'll be on our way. Sound good to everyone?"

"Sounds like a plan," Lilamon replied.

"BlackWarGreymon?" Hideaki asked his partner, making sure he felt up to it.

"I'm fine," the Mega assured the boy.

Mayu looked at Lucemon, who seemed to be doing fine. When he caught her glance, he nodded, confirming that he was just fine. She smiled a little. She was ready, and from the looks of it, so was everyone else.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Thank you for all that you've done for us," Chiharu said to the Prairiemon just as they were about to leave.

"Oh, we were glad to—" the leader of the Prairiemon started to say, but was cut off when a large bolt of electricity hit her, instantly destroying her. The rest of the Prairiemon scattered, but all fell victim to the attack sooner or later.

"To help the enemies of the Master is a crime!" a voice yelled, and the Digi-Destined all looked up to see the Digimon that was behind the attacks.

"No!" Satoru yelled as more Prairiemon were attacked and killed by the second.

"Not again…" Chiharu whispered, her eyes widening at the sight that she was powerless to stop. "It's all my fault…" They should have left sooner. Perhaps they should have just taken care of their own, and not let anyone else help them. If only she'd been thinking ahead when they first came to the Forest…

Beelzemon looked at his frozen partner. He knew what was going through her mind. Just like before, she was taking all the blame on herself, and, being her best friend, he couldn't stand to see her like this. He turned his gaze toward the Deva that had caused this, furious. "Sinduramon, I swear, you're gonna pay," he growled, "and I'm gonna make sure you feel every second of it."

"Catch me if you can!" the Deva yelled, flying off into the trees. Beelzemon chased after him, not even noticing that no one was following him in his blind rage.

"Chiharu…" Tsukiko said softly, putting her hand on the younger girl's shoulder. The brunette batted her hand away.

"Don't touch me…" she said quietly. "If you get close to me, you'll get hurt, too…"

"Don't be silly," Satoru said, shaking his head. "We're a team. We're in this together."

But Chiharu wasn't listening. She sank to the ground, curling in a tight ball in an attempt to block out the outside world. If she could ignore everything, then she wouldn't notice however much more pain and suffering occurred around her.

_I killed them… Not directly, but it was my fault… I need to stop myself… I need to stop accepting help from the innocent… I… I have to stop hurting people…_ The tears finally started to fall.

Yuichi frowned. Chiharu was a good friend of his, and he hated to see his friends sad. But the older girl wouldn't let anyone near her, so there was absolutely nothing he, or any of the others, could do.

Mayu sighed, realizing that nothing could be done for the goggle-head at the moment. She looked up at Lucemon. "Should we go after Beelzemon and help him?" she asked. The Demon Lord shook his head.

"No," Lucemon responded. "He's going to want to do this one on his own."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"When I get my hands on that bastard…!" Beelzemon hissed, claws tightening around the Berenjena, ready to draw them at any second. Sinduramon would pay for hurting his partner like that. It wasn't her fault that they kept losing friends, yet she seemed determined to believe that it was. She thought that it was her orders that were the problem. Why couldn't the girl see that these Digimon would have been targets at one point or another anyway? Why couldn't she see that it was _better_, because those Digimon lost their lives helping the Digi-Destined, as opposed to dying for nothing, like they would have if they'd never met the humans and their partners? Why did she have to take everything on by herself? He was her best friend, and he'd been with her every step of the way. Did it ever occur to her that if it was her fault, then it was his, as well?

He shook his head. He was going to have to have a talk with her when he was done with Sinduramon.

"Double Impact!" the Demon Lord of Gluttony yelled, drawing the Berenjena and shooting at the rooster Deva in front of him. Unfortunately, though, Sinduramon knew the Forest much better than Beelzemon did, and used that to his advantage. He dodged behind trees and bushes, avoiding every single bullet fired.

"Is that the best you've got?" the Deva taunted. "Now I see why you lose every ally you gain: You're too pathetically weak to protect yourself, much less anyone else! Positron Pulse!"

Beelzemon dodged to the right, but his shoulder still got zapped. It wasn't a horrible injury, but it _was_ uncomfortable. His angry, crimson gaze locked onto Sinduramon. He hadn't gone into 'hunting mode', as the other Demon Lords had taken to calling it, in a long time. Of course, excluding Lucemon, he hadn't been this furious with anyone in a long time, either. That triggered his hidden predatory nature. Now, there was no way to stop him until Sinduramon was completely and utterly destroyed.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Are you sure we shouldn't go after him?" Lilamon asked Lucemon. "He's been gone for a while now."

"Even if we did, we'd only be putting ourselves in danger," the Demon Lord of Pride informed the group. "As you all know, Beelzemon has many… anger issues. What I'm sure you didn't know, however, is that when he gets angry enough, he loses himself in a temporary madness, and will not let anything, or any_one_ get in his way until his target is destroyed. Following him right now would be suicide. I'm sure he'll know the way back."

"Wait a minute…" Tsukiko said. "You're saying that he's even angrier at Sinduramon than he was at you?"

"Think about it," Wizardmon spoke up. "Beelzemon has a close bond with Chiharu now. Her not wanting him to get in trouble, and possibly turned back into a Digi-Egg, is what held him back before. But Sinduramon really hurt Chiharu. Yes, Indramon was the one that started it, but Sinduramon opened old wounds, and made them worse by killing many of our new allies right in front of our eyes. I believe that was the breaking point for Chiharu…" He looked back at the leader in question, who was still locked within herself.

"But he'll be okay by himself, right?" Yuichi asked, worried for the Mega, who didn't have any backup.

"You've seen him in battle," Lucemon replied. "And nothing fuels him better in battle than pure hatred.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Beelzemon realized that shooting at Sinduramon wasn't working. Even though he was suffering slight psychosis, he was still capable of proper thoughts, which is probably what made him dangerous. In fact, he was probably better at planning when he was like this, than when he was normal. He'd have to try a closer-ranged approach. He holstered his guns and dashed forward, determined to catch up with Sinduramon. "Darkness Claw!" he yelled, but Sinduramon dodged to the side. Beelzemon took advantage of Sinduramon's temporary feeling of safety, since he'd avoided the attack. The Demon Lord of Gluttony held one hand out, caught the nearest tree, and used it as an axis. Using his momentum, he ended up spinning to the other side of the tree, claws still at the ready. He hit his target, dealing a lot of damage.

Sinduramon was surprised. He remembered back before, and he remembered that Beelzemon relied solely on brute strength. How could someone like him develop a plan like that? Was it a result of his partnering with a human? The rooster Deva started to have his doubts at his chances of winning this fight, but what was he supposed to do? He would either be destroyed by Beelzemon in this battle, or, if he retreated, he would be destroyed by Makuramon or Apocalymon for his cowardice, instead. He just had to hope that things would turn in his favor in this battle, because he was not going to go out like a coward.

"Positron Pulse!" Sinduramon yelled, but Beelzemon dodged out of the way just in time.

"Nice try, but yer gonna hafta try harder that that!" he taunted, dodging every attack sent his way. It was like a game of cat-and-mouse. He'd toy with his prey before going in for the kill. If that big chicken got mad enough, he'd stop thinking straight, and that was when he'd strike. "What? Don't tell me ya decided ta start _actin'_ like a chicken, too!" he continued with a laugh. "Hit with yer best shot."

"Positron Pulse!" Sinduramon attacked once again, putting all his energy into his attack. It would do a lot of serious damage. Little did he know, though, that he was playing right into Beelzemon's hands.

The Mega dodged out of the way again, grinning at the sight of Sinduramon, who was now weak due to the excessive energy discharge. He drew the Berenjena once again, and took careful aim. "Double Impact!" he yelled, firing the lethal bullets. Sinduramon screamed as his data slowly dispersed. Beelzemon had made sure to hit certain areas where death was given, but it would be very slow. "_That's_ what ya get when ya hurt my partner," he hissed, watching the horrified Deva die. Once his data was completely gone, Beelzemon was on his way back, ready to see just how bad of a shape Chiharu was in.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The rest of the humans could do nothing but watch their leader breaking down. They understood that she was taking all of the responsibility on by herself, but what they didn't know was that even though Chiharu had a wonderful life at home, she was terrified of being alone. All of this, all of the sacrifices that had been made for them… She couldn't help but wonder when they would lose one of their own. And then… it would be her fault then, as well.

Chiharu felt a strong hand on her shoulder, and she looked up, ready to tell whoever it was to back off, but stopped when she realized who it was.

"It wasn't yer fault," Beelzemon said, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. "They'd have been targets anyway," he told her. "Sinduramon would've eventually gotten bored, and come to pick 'em off, one by one. They'd be happy, knowin' that, given the options, they lost their lives helping us. Now we just got more of a reason to fight."

"You're… you're right…" Chiharu said softly, wiping away her tears. Despite his tough exterior, her partner was surprisingly good at cheering her up. "We can't let any more Digimon suffer."

"Then the next place we go should probably be that food factory Prairiemon told us about, where Vikaralamon is," Mayu suggested. "If we're going to stop more Digimon from suffering, then that sounds like the best place to go." The rest of the group merely stared at her. "What?"

"Nothing…" Hideaki said for all of them. The truth was, they never expected Mayu to be as much on board with saving innocent lives as she was.

"Prairiemon did say that he worked the inhabitants hard," Wizardmon said. "I agree with Mayu, that sounds like the best course of action."

Chiharu nodded. "So, are we all in agreement?"

"Yeah!" everyone replied.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Before they left, they had one final thing they had to do.

Yuichi and Tsukiko were off gathering flowers, while Satoru and Hideaki went to find some decent-sized stones. Mayu helped Chiharu mold the dirt, which startled the leader. The blonde seemed to be full of surprises lately.

Finally, the clearing held many small mounds of dirt. When Satoru and Hideaki came back, they marked each of the mounds with a stone. They were finally ready to begin when Yuichi and Tsukiko returned with the flowers. The group worked carefully, making flower wreaths much like the ones Yuichi had made them for Christmas. Each wreath went around one of the stones.

"That one is for the Shadowlord," Chiharu said softly, pointing to a stone surrounded by yellow and purple flowers.

"This one's for Antylamon," Yuichi added, kneeling in front of a stone with pink flowers.

"These belong to the Prairiemon," Hideaki added, looking at about sixteen of them with varying colors.

"And the rest are for the countless innocents who had nothing to do with this at all," Satoru finished, referring to the rest, also circled with flowers of varying color.

They'd turned the clearing into a graveyard, though there were no bodies to bury.

"What do we do with these?" BlackWarGreymon asked, looking at the sixteen Eggs in the clearing. "Should we just leave them here?"

Chiharu shook her head. "I have a better idea."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

They were back in the desert, shuttling Eggs into the land of sand.

"They said that this land used to be their ancestors home, before the Dex came," Chiharu said. "I just know it's going to turn into grassland it used to be, and letting them be born in their rightful home is the least we can do for them."

The rest of the group nodded in agreement.

"We're fighting so that no one else has to suffer," Lilamon said.

"And so that everyone can leave peacefully in their homes," Hideaki added.

"We're fighting for those who are too weak to protect themselves," Tsukiko continued.

"And we're not going to stop until we've done what we came here for," Mayu finished. "Right, oh Fearless Leader?"

Chiharu couldn't help but laugh just a tiny bit at the new nickname the blonde had given her. "Right." It was horrible, all that they'd seen happen, but at the same time, it was a blessing in disguise. It helped to remind the group exactly what they were fighting for, and renewed their resolve to save both worlds.

**Next time:  
Wizardmon: Okay, we're here to save these Digimon and get rid of Vikaralamon, but let's try not to do anything crazy.  
Chiharu: Take the Keramon and get out of here!  
Mayu: And just what are **_**you**_** planning to do?  
Chiharu: Something crazy.**

**Ugh! I hate how short my chapters are getting lately! Of course, you guys might only see a slight difference, but most of my chapters used to be 4000+ words! Now, I'm lucky if they break 3500. And man, this turned out to be a little more angsty than I thought, geez. Of course, I think my favorite part here is the preview, and Chiharu's "Something crazy." Beelzemon's rubbing off on her too much.**

**Anyway, remember: Reviews w/questions, Covers, and Vote for your favorite character. The poll is on my profile now, so you can go and vote there. I have only had **_**one**_** voter though, so far, so that doesn't really get us anywhere. **_**Please**_** go and vote on your favorite character, or I might have to send Makuramon after you. And if he doesn't scare you, he'll probably annoy you to death.**

**Makuramon: HEY!**

**Until next time~**


	27. Factory Face-Off

**Question 1: So far, you've used the basic data, virus, and vaccine within your story. But do you think you could also use the Digimon's attributes, like Deep Savers, Dragon's Roar, Jungle Trooper, etc.?  
Me: Um, do you mean the families? Because the attributes are the 'data, virus, and vaccine' things. It's a little late in the game to just change it like that, and right now, the Digivices are only 'set' to display name, level, and attacks. Between Seasons 1 and 2, though, they might get an 'upgrade' to become more detailed. I would just feel a little weird, suddenly changing it like that.**

Makuramon watched as the children made their way to the factory. They were still days away, which worked out well for him. If he warned Vikaralamon, the pig Deva would be on alert, and ready for the Digi-Destined. He grinned. Victory would finally be theirs.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The rest of the Digi-Destined watched Chiharu closely. She seemed to be over what had happened in the Forest, but they couldn't be too sure. It was hard to believe that someone could get over something so tragic so quickly.

Chiharu, in fact, wasn't nearly as over it as they thought, but she pushed down all those feelings of sorrow. She would have time to grieve after they were finished in the Digital World. Right now, she couldn't let herself be slowed down by the guilt. She had to be alert for every battle, and to do that, she couldn't let herself be consumed by her negative feelings.

"I wonder what kind of a fight we're in for at the factory…" Tsukiko mused.

"Well, Vikaralamon's attacks are Fusion Ball and Boar Bog," Lucemon supplied.

"And Boar Bog is just nasty," Beelzemon added, making a face.

The eldest girl in the group shook her head. "That's not what I meant," she stated. "I meant, what else do you think we'll be fighting? There are probably guards of some sort, or whatever Digimon are forced to work there would have already escaped."

"She has a point," Wizardmon said. He looked at the Demon Lords. "Does he have any sort of servants of his own?"

"That old pig?" Beelzemon asked. "Nah. At least, not when we were still here. Of course, now, who knows? He might've overpowered the stronger Digimon at the factory and made them his guards."

"We have to free them!" Satoru said, and the rest of the team nodded. It was their duty, not only to rid the world of one of the last Devas, but to free those innocent Digimon as well.

"I just realized something," Mayu said a few minutes later.

"And what's that?" Hideaki asked.

"You said there were twelve Devas, right?" she asked Beelzemon, who nodded. "Well, we got rid of nine of them. That means that soon, we'll have finished off the Devas, and then all we have left is that Master they keep talking about. And Apocalymon, too, I think…"

"Pajiramon, Vajramon, Indramon, Kumbhiramon, Sinduramon, Sandiramon, Mihiramon, Caturamon, Antylamon…" Satoru said, ticking them off on his fingers. His voice got quieter when he mentioned their friend's name. "You're right. Just three more."

"When I get my hands on Makuramon…" Chiharu muttered angrily, not bothering to finish her sentence. The others could already guess a number of things she could have finished with, none of them pleasant. At the start of their journey together, they would have been surprised to hear and imagine such dark thoughts coming from her, but they soon learned that once you got on her bad side, it was _not_ a pretty sight. If you got her mad enough, she'd reveal that under that calm, nice exterior lived a vengeful bitch. And especially now that she had someone as strong as Beelzemon to back her up, one could only pray that they never had to see that side of her.

"We'll get him," BlackWarGreymon said.

"And he's gonna pay," Beelzemon hissed, cracking his knuckles.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

A few hours later, they reached the factory.

"Okay, we're here, to save these Digimon and get rid of Vikaralamon, but let's try not to do anything crazy," Wizardmon advised, sending Beelzemon a pointed look.

"You don't have to tell us twice," Hideaki said. "Get in, rescue Digimon, defeat Vikaralamon, get out."

"You make it sound so simple," Mayu commented.

"Hey, what're those?" Yuichi asked, pointing. There were strange looking robot-type Digimon patrolling the outside of the factory.

"Mekanorimon, Champion Level," Satoru read. "Their attacks are Twin Beam and 4-Disk Break."

"Oh, boy," Tsukiko said. "Well, we're not _sneaking_ in. Those metal-heads have got the whole place covered."

"Only one thing left to do," Chiharu said, looking at the group. "We bust our way in." She focused her gaze on Hideaki, Tsukiko, BlackWarGreymon, and ShadowWereGarurumon. "We're going to need a distraction so we can get it. Think you're up for it?"

"I think we can handle it," ShadowWereGarurumon said with a smirk.

"Good," the leader said. "Then let's get to it!"

Tsukiko and Hideaki were the first to approach the factory, not bothering to conceal themselves. There was no need, since they were the distraction. Their Digimon followed close behind.

"Hey, uglies!" Tsukiko yelled. "Over here!"

All the Mekanorimon stopped their patrol to face the four. One raised its arms, and electricity seemed to be gathering. "Target in range," it said it a monotonous, mechanical voice. "Twin Beam." What seemed like a curved blade of electricity flew their way. ShadowWereGarurumon grabbed Tsukiko and dodged out of the way while BlackWarGreymon, turned, protecting his partner while his shield saved them both from any damage.

ShadowWereGarurumon set Tsukiko down, and turned back to the robot-like Digimon.

"Are you ready?" Tsukiko asked.

"Ready when you are," her partner replied.

"Digital Enhancement. Speed: Connect!"

The Ultimate rushed forward, too fast for his Champion opponents to follow. "Full Moon Kick!" he attacked, knocking several off their feet.

"Target in range. Twin Beam." Unfortunately for ShadowWereGarurumon, his attack got him too close to the rest of the Mekanorimon, and he took the electrical attack head on.

"ShadowWereGarurumon!" the teenage girl yelled.

"I'm alright," he said, picking himself back up.

"I've got you covered!" BlackWarGreymon yelled, flying up beside him. "Terra Force!" The powerful attack from the Mega hit ShadowWereGarurumon's already damaged targets, making their data unstable. He was about to attack again when Hideaki stopped him.

"Wait, don't destroy them!" he yelled. "It's not their fault! They were forced to work by Vikaralamon. We just have to get rid of the source, and they'll stop attacking us."

"4-Disk Break," one of the Mekanorimon attacked, sending metal disks at the children, who both dove out of the way.

"We just have to hope that Chiharu and the others get there quick enough…" Tsukiko muttered.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu had been waiting for the right moment to make a run for it. She had to wait until there was absolutely no way they'd be noticed, so that they wouldn't be followed. "Alright, they're all focused on Tsukiko and Hideaki," she told the remainder of the group. "Let's go."

They made a break for it while all the Mekanorimon were focused on their 'distraction'. There was a small door directly ahead, and that was what they would use to get in.

Mayu tried the door handle, but it wouldn't budge. "Oh, great," she muttered. "Of course it's locked."

"Outta the way," Beelzemon advised, and everyone else complied. He kicked the door open. When everyone else just stood there and stared, he said, "What? You just gonna stand their all day or are ya comin'?"

Chiharu shook her head and laughed a little. Leave it to Beelzemon to find a way in. Of course, _she'd_ been the one to suggest that they 'bust their way in'. She led the way in, followed closely behind by the rest of her team.

"Where do you think Vikaralamon would be?" Lilamon asked, looking around for some sort of sign of the pig Deva's presence.

"No idea," Beelzemon admitted.

"Let's just keep looking until we find him," Chiharu said.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

A little while later, they came across a large group of Digimon, moving frantically, trying to run all of the machines. They were a purplish-blue color, with strange green eyes and abnormally long mouths. They had no abdomen of any kind. Instead, there were long, thin tendrils flowing straight down from their neck, and their hands were quite large in comparison to their stick-thin arms.

"Keramon, Rookie Level," Yuichi read. "Attacks: Bug Blaster, Network Flapping, Crazy Smoke and Crazy Turn."

"Looks like these are the workers Vikaralamon's been running ragged," Lucemon observed.

"Let's get them out of here, then," Mayu said, making a move to get up, but Chiharu put her arm in front of the blonde, stopping her.

"Not yet," she advised. "Look." She pointed to a group of other Digimon.

"Tankmon," Satoru read. "Champion Level. Their attacks are Hyper Cannon and Machine Gun Arms."

The group watched as one of the Keramon stumbled, spilling whatever liquid was in the bowl it was carrying.

"Watch it, you swine!" one of the Tankmon yelled, poking it in the chest with one of its arms, which ended in a large gun. "Pull anything like that again, and you can easily be replaced… If you know what I mean," it added with a cruel smirk.

"I-I'm sorry, sir," the Keramon said softly, hurrying off with the bowl. Another was called in to clean up the mess.

Chiharu couldn't watch anymore. She had to do something. The goggle-head looked back at the others and said quietly, "Take the Keramon and get out of here!"

"And just what are _you_ planning to do?" Mayu asked with a raised eyebrow.

Chiharu smirked, and knew she'd been spending _way_ too much time with Beelzemon. "Something crazy."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Ugh, this is harder than I thought it was going to be!" Hideaki yelled in frustration. They thought it would be an easy enough battle, but then they realized that they couldn't destroy the Mekanorimon. They had to show mercy, but their enemies weren't stopped by that kind of limitation.

"Target in range. Twin Beam."

"Ugh, I'm really getting tired of that!" Tsukiko yelled as she jumped out of the way of yet another attack. "When will they shut up?!"

"It's up to us to shut them up," ShadowWereGarurumon said.

"But we can't just kill them!" the girl argued.

"So we knock them out," Hideaki suggested.

"And just how, pray tell, do you knock out a _machine_?" Tsukiko asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Easy," BlackWarGreymon answered. "Just find the off switch."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The Tankmon were laughing at the misery they were causing among the Keramon when one of them was hit in the back of the head with a metal pipe. "Who did that?!" he yelled angrily, turning to see the offender.

Chiharu stood nearby, arming herself with yet another pipe. "Over here, you overgrown army toys!"

"Kid's insane…" Beelzemon muttered. But, as her partner, he couldn't let her do this on her own. "Double Impact!" he yelled, shooting at the Tankmon, drawing their attention.

'_Go!_' Chiharu mouthed to her friends, who were still hiding behind the giant oven, but peeking out to see when they'd have their opportunity.

Mayu led the others to the largest group of Keramon.

"L-Lucemon!" one yelled in fear, trembling. The poor Digimon had all suffered under Vikaralamon, and the pig Deva had once been under the rule of the Demon Lords, meaning that their suffering would be even greater than ever.

"No, wait!" Mayu said, pulling out her D-Agent. "We're the Digi-Destined, see? Lucemon's my partner. We're here to help you escape."

"E-Escape…?" the one that had been threatened earlier asked, the tiniest bit of hope in its voice. "You mean… we'll be free?"

"Yes," Lucemon assured them. "You have our word."

"Thank you so much!" another one of the Keramon said gratefully.

"That human…" the one that had initially been afraid of Lucemon asked. "Will she be alright?"

"Of course she will," Satoru said.

"She's got Beelzemon with her!" Yuichi added with a smile.

While they helped the Keramon get out, Chiharu and Beelzemon became surrounded by Tankmon.

"We can't destroy them," she informed her partner. "It's not their fault, they're just following orders."

"Kinda hard ta do right now!" Beelzemon yelled back, firing left and right to keep the Tankmon from getting too close.

"Hyper Cannon!" three of them yelled, attacking from all sides. Chiharu's eyes widened, and she ducked just in time.

"We need to at least knock them out," she whispered. "We have to make sure they don't follow us. We can't have any distractions."

"Ya mean like this?" the Demon Lord of Gluttony asked, running toward the nearest Tankmon and hitting him so hard with the butt of the gun that he passed out.

"How did you…?" The human couldn't help but stare. Beelzemon had managed to hit the Champion with enough force that he knocked it out _through a thick, metal helmet_!

"Less talk, more fight!" Beelzemon responded, going to take out the other Tankmon.

"Right. Digital Enhancement. Speed! Strength: Connect!"

"That's more like it!" the Demon Biker yelled with a grin. He moved faster than any of the opponents (or Chiharu) could follow, just appearing as a black blur. Every Tankmon he seemed to touch went down in an instant.

"Thank was quick," Chiharu said, blinking in surprise as her partner seemed to just appear before her.

"Hey, _yer_ the one who used the Speed card," he said with a smirk.

"Shut up," she said with a small laugh, punching the Digimon in the shoulder lightly.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Alright, all the Keramon are safe and sound," Mayu said. "Now what?"

"We should probably head back in and help Chiharu and Beelzemon," Wizardmon suggested.

"I'm sure they've got it covered," Lilamon said.

"Yes, but once they're done, should they really be taking on a Deva alone?"

"Oh, good point."

"Hey, shouldn't Tsukiko and Hideaki be back by now?" Yuichi asked. It couldn't be _that_ hard to get rid of a group of Mekanorimon. Of course, if they were trying to keep them alive…

"Mayu, get a hold of one of them," Lucemon told his partner. "I have some information that they may find useful."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Hideaki's D-Agent beeped. He pressed the button to answer it. "What is it? We're still kinda busy here!"

"Mekanorimon are like puppets," Lucemon said through the Digivice. "There should be a Digimon inside it, controlling it. If you get that Digimon out, then you won't have to fight the Mekanorimon."

"But what if what's in there is worse?" Hideaki asked.

"If it was worse," Lucemon answered, "then it wouldn't need to use Mekanorimon as armor."

"Alright, thanks!" Hideaki said and cut the connection. "Hey, Tsukiko!" he yelled.

"What is it, kid?" she asked.

"The Mekanorimon really _are_ just machines! They're being controlled by a Digimon inside them. If we can get that Digimon out—"

"—we can stop them!" Tsukiko finished. "It's brilliant!" She smirked. "And I know just the way to get inside them. Digital Enhancement. Digmon's Drill: Connect!"

ShadowWereGarurumon looked at his partner. "You want me to drill right through these guys?"

"Yep," the girl replied. "If you drill to the inside, the Digimon controlling the Mekanorimon will probably get spooked and jump out."

"Alright, sounds like a plan!" The Ultimate ran at the closest enemy, drills facing straight ahead. Just a few seconds after impact, a hole was being drilled into the metal. A Digimon that looked a bit like a ghost floated out.

"Bakemon," Hideaki read. "Champion Level. Attacks: Zombie Claw, Evil Charm, Ghost Chop, and Poison Breath." He looked back up to see the Digimon cowering. "These guys aren't so tough. No wonder they have to use those Mekanorimon like that."

"Don't hurt us!" the Bakemon begged, and the rest of the Bakemon left their metal shells, which immediately shut down. "We were just following orders! Vikaralamon took over the factory, and forced us to guard it."

"Don't worry," Hideaki said. "We're here to get rid of Vikaralamon, and then you can go back to your normal lives."

"Thank you so much!" the Bakemon all said.

"But for now, you should probably get somewhere safe," BlackWarGreymon advised. "This could get ugly."

"Let's catch up with the others," Tsukiko suggested, and they all ran inside the factory.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"You're a total nut job, you know that?" Mayu asked Chiharu when the group reunited.

"What did she do?" BlackWarGreymon asked.

"Oh, genius over here took on an army of Tankmon by herself, and threw pipes at them," Mayu answered.

"It got their attention," the brunette said with a simple shrug. "It gave you guys time to get the Keramon out."

"Alright, true," the blonde admitted.

"So now we go fight Vikaralamon?" Yuichi asked.

"I believe so," Wizardmon answered, and Chiharu nodded in response.

"We just have to figure out where he is," Beelzemon muttered.

Lilamon smiled. "We were talking to the Keramon as we led them outside. He's in the heart of the factory. All we need to do is get there, and we'll be able to fight him."

"So, where's the 'heart'?" Tsukiko asked with a raised eyebrow."

"If we keep walking, we'll find it eventually," Chiharu said with a shrug.

"So, you're saying we just keep walking around blindly until we find him? Is that it?" Hideaki asked.

"Pretty much."

"Alright, just making sure."

Chiharu laughed, and they began their walk to find the heart of the factory.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

After about five minutes of walking, they heard very loud snoring coming through a doorway.

"That's even louder than Beelzemon!" Yuichi exclaimed.

"It can only be Vikaralamon," Lucemon said with a sigh. The group trouped in and saw the gigantic pig Deva sleeping in the middle of the room.

"Hey!" Beelzemon yelled. "Wake up, ya overgrown pork chop!"

Vikaralamon blinked lazily, but once he caught sight of the Digi-Destined, his eyes snapped wide open. "You!" he yelled. "Makuramon told me that you were coming!"

"So you decided to take a nap?" ShadowWereGarurumon asked. "Not very good at the whole preparation thing, are you?"

"Shut up!" the Deva yelled. "Boar Bog!" A large glop of goo was shot from its mouth, heading straight for the children. Most of the group got out of the way in time, but Lilamon was just a moment too late. She was knocked off her feet, and sat in a sticky mess.

"Eww…" she said, standing. "That's disgusting!"

"He's a pig," Wizardmon said. "You expected something cleaner?"

"Alright, good point," Lilamon said, trying to clean herself off. "But it's still disgusting!" She turned her gaze to Vikaralamon. "Marvel Shot!"

"Boar Bog!" Vikaralamon yelled, and his attack hit Lilamon's negating it.

"Oh, yeah, we forgot to mention," Lucemon said. "He uses his attack to deflect any attacks coming his way, since he's too big to be able to dodge."

"That would have been nice to know beforehand," BlackWarGreymon said.

"Then, let's give him something he can't deflect," Chiharu said simply. "Let's all attack at the same time, from different angles. But first…" She pulled out her D-Agent, and Beelzemon smirked. "Digital Enhancement. Blast Mode: Connect!"

"Alright, let's cook this pig," Beelzemon said with a smirk, going airborne. "Corona Blaster!"

"Boar Bog!" Vikaralamon yelled, attacking the pink sphere. Unfortunately for him, it was a powerful enough attack that while it was weakened, it couldn't be destroyed by the Ultimate's attack.

As soon as the Deva had attacked, the others stepped in.

"Marvel Shot!"

"Grand Cross!"

"Full Moon Kick!"

"Magical Game!"

"Terra Force!"

All attacks hit at the same time, making it impossible for Vikaralamon to deflect all of them.

"I won't let you beat me!" the giant pig yelled. He knew that he was one of the last Devas left, and he couldn't die here. That would leave only Makuramon and Majiramon, and if the job of getting rid of the children was left on their shoulders, then there was no hope. "Boar Bog!" he attacked again, aiming at the children this time. Even if they _did_ destroy him, if he took the Children down with him, his mission would be accomplished. The Digimon couldn't do much without their partners.

"Watch out!" Beelzemon yelled, going into a steep dive. He tried to go as fast as he could, but it didn't look like he'd make it in time.

But to everyone's surprise, another Digimon arrived in time to shield the children.

"Lucemon!" Mayu yelled, worried for her partner.

"So," Vikaralamon said with a smirk. "Even the great Lord Lucemon has been reduced to the slave of a human."

"I am nobody's slave," the Fallen Angel growled. He turned to face the idiot Digimon that had dared to attack his partner. "Ultimate Sacrifice!" he yelled, and the 'Square of Death' expanded around the giant pig Deva, destroying him instantly.

"Phew, now that _that's_ out of the way…" Chiharu said with a sigh of relief.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Makuramon watched from the piping near the ceiling of the factory. They'd just destroyed Vikaralamon! This wasn't good… If things went on like this, soon there would be no Devas left… himself included! He couldn't let that happen. These children had to be stopped. "Never send a pig to do a monkey's job…" he muttered.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Just as the group was about the leave, they saw movement in the shadows.

"I thought we got rid of all of Vikaralamon's servants," Tsukiko muttered.

"Servant? Hardly," a familiar voice said, and a certain monkey Deva emerged from the shadows.

"Makuramon!" Yuichi yelled.

Chiharu glared at the Ultimate in question. It was all his fault… he'd destroyed Antylamon, and from what they understood, he'd been the one placed in charge of the Devas, meaning he'd ordered Sinduramon to destroy all those innocent Prairiemon. "Beelzemon?" she said softly, but even without much volume, she was able to pack a belcher's sea snake's worth of venom into her voice. "Kill him."

"With pleasure," Beelzemon said with a grin, aiming his Blaster at Makuramon. "Corona Blaster!"

Lucky for Makuramon, though, he was naturally very agile, so he was able to dodge out of the way. "Oh, so now the human's sicked her pet on me, hm?"

"He _isn't_ a pet!" the goggle-head yelled hatefully.

"Oh really?" Makuramon asked, raising a brow. "Then why does he follow your every command like a sniveling little puppy?"

"We can't let him do this!" Yuichi said. "We've gotta help Chiharu and Beelzemon!"

"No," Wizardmon said, shaking his head. "This is their fight."

"Double Impact!" Beelzemon yelled, drawing one of the Berenjena with his left hand.

Makuramon waited until the last second before dodging, and something formed in his palm. "Primal Orb!" he yelled, hurling the attack at the Demon Lord in midair.

Beelzemon moved, but the attack still singed one of his wings.

Chiharu, realizing just how fast Makuramon really was, decided to level the playing field. "Digital Enhancement. Speed: Connect!"

Beelzemon shot past the Deva, making sure to clock him with the Blaster. Makuramon was hit so hard that it caused him to spin backward a few times. He righted himself, full of rage, and hurled another attack at Beelzemon. "Treasure Orb!" Beelzemon moved out of the way yet again, and was suddenly right in front of Makuramon.

"This is fer all the Digimon who died cuz of you," he hissed. "Corona Blaster!"

There was no room to escape, so Makuramon was forced to take the attack head on. It threw him backward, straight into the wall, and he didn't seem capable of much movement.

"Aren't you going to finish him?" Tsukiko asked when Beelzemon turned away from the mortally wounded Deva.

"Nah," the Demon Lord replied. "Just one thing, though." He turned and shot one last bullet, hitting Makuramon in the shoulder, making the monkey cry out in pain. "There. He took that attack at point-blank range. No one can survive that fer long. Let's leave him here and let him suffer."

And with that, the group left, ready to search for the Apocalymon's lair.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Makuramon felt himself go in and out of consciousness. He couldn't move at all, and was in an immense amount of pain. Everything was getting blurry, and he could literally feel his data phasing in and out. Was this what it felt like to die?

**Next time:  
Yuichi: Look! I see something!  
Majiramon: You will not get past this point!  
Beelzemon: Him bein' here can only mean one thing!  
Lucemon: Apocalymon must be beyond this point!  
Tsukiko: Hey, you can see the castle now!**

**WOOT! I finally broke 4000 words! I'm completely ecstatic right now~ Alright, so, a few notes. One, I was **_**really**_** happy with this chapter, since, as opposed to the others, which mostly wrote themselves, I had a clear plan for what was going to happen. Two, I think I found a line in here I like even more than Chiharu's "Something crazy." I loved writing Makuramon saying, "Never send a pig to do a monkey's job." And three, when I said a belcher's sea snake's worth of venom, I picked that because the belcher's sea snake is the most venomous snake in the world. Just a few milligrams is strong enough to kill 1000 people!**

**Okay, so: Reviews & Questions (any questions pertaining to 'what will happen next' or 'will this character…' will be ignored. Sorry, but I don't want to give away any spoilers). Covers (come on, people… we're almost **_**done**_** with this already. Holy shit. Almost done, as in… I'm only going to be working on this for a few more months, and then it's done. I'm gonna miss this story when it's over…). Poll. Alrighty, then, see ya next time~**


	28. Last of the Devas

**Woot~ Time for questions~  
Question 1: Beelzemon would you rather a) have the last chapter go as it did, b) have Makuramon suffer a fate worse than death, or c) have him bring back every Digimon that died during the story?  
Beelzemon: Huh, good question… It'd be nice ta have everyone back that died, but ta have him bring them back, he would've had to still be alive. And if he stayed alive, there's no sayin' he won't kill 'em again. Heh, probably should've had him suffer that fate worse than death (whatever it'd be), but we just wanted to get rid of him.  
Question 2: Are we going to see a certain dark knight Digimon in the future seeing that the group has the Digimon needed to form him?  
Me: Uh… I'm ashamed to say that… I have **_**no**_** idea what you're talking about… Can someone please tell me what is meant by that…? Please?**

**Disclaimer: I own the human characters, this version of the Digital World, the Academy (which we haven't seen in a while…), and the plot. I do **_**not**_**, however, own the Digimon themselves.**

"Do you feel better now?" Tsukiko asked Chiharu. They'd just destroyed Makuramon, who had been the cause of a lot of their suffering. His destruction must have lifted a lot of the weight off her shoulders. Now, there was no way that annoying monkey could get in their way.

"A little," Chiharu said with a smile. She was still mourning the losses they'd suffered, but knowing that their killer had been put to justice offered her some comfort. "Now, all we have to do is get rid of Apocalymon, and then everything will be fine."

"But we have to find the castle, first," Hideaki pointed out.

"And how the heck are we supposed to find it?" BlackWarGreymon added.

"Easy," the leader replied. "We find its guard."

"What do you mean?" Lilamon asked, but Mayu seemed to be catching what the goggle-head was trying to say.

"She means that they wouldn't leave it unguarded," the blonde spoke up. "And we still haven't run into Majiramon."

"Not since he took Makuramon for a little ride, getting Pajiramon and Vajramon's Eggs," Beelzemon muttered.

Mayu continued like he hadn't interrupted. "He's probably the one protecting the castle. We find Majiramon, we find the castle." She looked at Chiharu. "That's what you were thinking, right?"

"Exactly," the brunette said, and then grinned. "Looks like not all blondes are as dumb as rocks." Mayu jokingly punched her in the arm. The two had gone through a unique change throughout their journey. First, they were enemies, who then slowly grew into tolerable acquaintances. Now, they seemed to be very close friends.

"How fitting," Lucemon mused. "A dragon guarding a castle."

"Cliché, much?" Lilamon asked. Everyone laughed.

"So, now we just have to search the entire Digital World for a single Digimon? That shouldn't be too hard…" Hideaki muttered sarcastically.

"If we could only split up to cover more ground," ShadowWereGarurumon suggested. "But that wouldn't be a good idea, since we shouldn't face him alone."

"Wait, I think you're onto something there," Chiharu said. She pulled out her D-Agent and fiddled with it for a moment. After she was done, there was what looked like a map with six dots. One was red, while the others were blue. "I knew there'd be something like this here," she said with a smile. "Okay, so the red dot, that's my Digivice. The rest are probably yours. Of course, on your D-Agent, your location will probably be the one in red. Anyway, remember back when Hiroshi called me?"

"Oh, believe me, we do," Beelzemon teased, but his partner decided to ignore that for the time being.

"He told me how to call another Digivice. We'll split up, but keep in contact with each other. When one of us sees Majiramon, call the rest of us, and we'll meet whoever it is at their location. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Alright, let's go!"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Hideaki and BlackWarGreymon had taken the north, to look near the Valley of Ebonwumon. Before they'd all split up, there'd been a theory tossed out that maybe the castle was by one of the Sovereign domains, so they decided to search there.

"Do you think we'll find it here?" BlackWarGreymon asked his human partner.

"I don't know," the boy admitted. "But it's worth a try. We didn't stay here very long, so maybe there's something we missed."

"And, maybe the Digimon of that market know something else about the castle. We can ask them," the Mega added.

"It's worth a shot."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Tsukiko and ShadowWereGarurumon to the Forest of Baihumon. They knew that it would be especially hard for Chiharu to try to go to, so she volunteered to go instead.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" ShadowWereGarurumon asked.

"I've dealt with a lot of loss in my life," the girl said with a shrug. "I've learned how to deal. What about you? Will you be okay?"

"I think so," the Ultimate replied as they neared the Forest. "Of course, we'll never know until we get there."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Satoru and Lilamon went to the Volcano. The had doubted that a castle would be in a place that hot, but then again, it could be there for that very reason. People would immediately suspect that nothing of value was there, so it would be the perfect place to hide a castle from prying eyes.

"Maybe we should have let one of the others take the Volcano," Lilamon mused as they headed on their way. "I might end up burning up!"

"Oh, right… you're a plant…" Satoru said, realizing that their coming to Volcano might have indeed been a bad idea. But it was too late to turn back now. They'd split up about two hour ago, and even if they went back, no one would be there to switch with them. It would take them weeks to get to each place, since the Digital World was so vast.

"I can't believe we're spreading ourselves this thin across the world," Lilamon commented. "I mean, when one of us finds Majiramon or the castle, we'd still have to wait at least two or three weeks for everyone else to get there."

"We'd figure out a way," Satoru assured his partner. Then he saw a large yellow Digimon a little ways away. He started walking toward it, pulling out his D-Agent to look it up. "Hououmon," he read. "Mega Level. Attacks: Star-Light Explosion and Crimson Flame."

"What are you doing?" Lilamon asked, following the boy.

"Figuring out a way," he answered simply. When they reached the large Digimon, it looked them over with a big blue eye.

"Yes?" it asked. "Is there something you need?"

"We were wondering," Satoru started, "if you might be able to take us to the Volcano of Zhuqiaomon?"

"Why do you wish to go there?" it asked. "I heard that the Digi-Destined had already defeated Indramon, its guardian."

"We did," Lilamon answered, "but now we're looking for Apocalymon's castle. We heard that it's hidden behind a barrier, so we, along with the rest of the Digi-Destined, are searching the entire Digital World to find it. We decided to check the Volcano, just in case we missed something. We split up so that we could cover more ground, but we're still weeks away from even getting close."

Hououmon looked at the two for a few moments, possibly judging whether or not they were telling the truth. Finally, it nodded. "I will take you to the Volcano of Zhuqiaomon," it said. "Climb on."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Yuichi and Wizardmon were headed for the Mountain of Azulongmon, which would also take a long time. The young boy had volunteered to take the Mountain for a simple reason: it had been where they met Antylamon, making it a special place for the boy. He'd become close to the rabbit Deva in the short time that they'd known her.

"It's going to take a long time to get to the Mountain," Wizardmon informed his young partner.

"Maybe we can find someone to help us get there faster," he suggested. "A lot of Digimon want to help the Digi-Destined, right?" Wizardmon replied with a nod, and they kept their eyes peeled while they walked for anyone who seemed like they would be able to take the two to the Mountain.

Finally, Wizardmon pointed to a particular Digimon. It was pure white, with a few purple rings here and there. It has large wings, and an eagle's head, though it stood on four legs and its front two were more feline than avian. "That's Hippogriffomon," the Champion told the boy. Wizardmon may not have had as much knowledge of other Digimon as the Digivice did, but he was smart, having retained some knowledge of other Digimon's natures from his past life. "It's typically a feral Digimon, but it can also be very kind."

"Let's hope it decided to be nice today," Yuichi said as they approached the Ultimate.

"Do you need something?" she growled, eying them closely with a blue, cat-like eye.

"We were hoping you could help us," Wizardmon started.

"No," she answered simply.

"But we really need help," Yuichi pleaded.

"I don't care. Find someone else to whine to," Hippogriffomon answered, starting to get angry. She flared her wings, trying to get the two to back off, but the human and his partner stood their ground.

"We need to get to the Mountain of Azulongmon," Wizardmon added. "We're searching for Apocalymon's castle."

The annoyed Digimon paused. "Apocalymon?" she asked, earning a nod from boy and Digimon alike. "What do you want with Apocalymon?" she'd heard of the Digi-Destined, but, being a feral Digimon, she was suspicious by nature.

"We're trying to get rid of him, to bring the peace back," Yuichi said.

Hippogriffomon pondered the boy's words for a moment. "Alright," she finally said. "But you're going to want to hold on."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Mayu and Lucemon were headed back to the desert that had belonged to the Dex. It wasn't as far as some of the places the others were going, but it would still be at least a few days before they got there.

"I wish there was some way we could get there faster," Mayu muttered. The sooner they checked out the desert, the sooner they'd be able to regroup with at least one of the others, hopefully. She didn't like wandering the Digital World alone with Lucemon. Even though he was a Demon Lord, she didn't feel very safe, it being just the two of them. "Maybe we could find someone to help us."

Lucemon remained silent. He'd been thinking the same thing, but, being the Demon Lord of Pride, he couldn't admit that. But, since it was his partner's idea instead of his own… "That sounds like a smart plan," he told her.

"Now, the question is who…" the blonde trailed off as she looked to the sky. Something was headed for them, and fast. The two backed away and shielded their eyes as something landed about ten feet in front of them, stirring up a lot of wind. When they looked up, they were startled. There was Digimon in front of them that was about the size of a Clydesdale horse. It was a golden color, with black stripes on its flank. Its front legs were like a bird's while the back matched those of a lion. It had large, dark leather wings, and a metal mask over the top half of its face. But that wasn't what the Digi-Destined and her partner were staring at. They were staring at the human that sat on its back.

"Need a lift?" the woman asked.

Mayu nodded dumbly, in shock that there was a human other than the Digi-Destined here in this world.

"Who are you?" Lucemon asked.

"Oh, right. Duh!" the woman smacked herself in the forehead with a laugh. "Sorry. My name's Kyoko Nakayama. I'm pretty sure you're my brother's students, right?"

"You're Nakayama-sensei's sister?" Mayu asked, but she could see the resemblance. Both had blonde hair, which, oddly enough, the both wore in long ponytails, and the same dark blue eyes.

"Yep."

"What are you doing here?" Lucemon asked. "I thought this job was left to us."

"It was," the woman explained. "But Makoto got worried, since you've been gone so long." In response to their blank expressions, she added, "That's my brother's given name. Anyway, like I said, he was worried, and wanted to make sure that you hadn't run into any trouble that you couldn't handle. But, obviously, he's a teacher, so he couldn't come check on you himself. I'm usually on patrol duty, when I'm not substituting over in the States."

"You work in America?" Mayu asked. "But your Japanese is flawless."

"Well, yeah. I was born and raised in Japan. I just went to the States after I graduated. Anyway, not the point. I had some free time, and when Makoto called me and told me he was worried, I decided to check on you, myself. Do you need a ride to wherever you're going?" Kyoko asked.

"Yeah, actually we do," Lucemon admitted.

"We're heading to the desert outside the Forest of Baihumon," Mayu added.

Kyoko raised an eyebrow. "But, isn't that where the Dex are?"

"The children destroyed the Dex, remember?" Gryphonmon asked, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, right," the young woman said with an embarrassed laugh. "I can get you there if you need me to. It's still a few days away, but if we use a Speed card, we should be there within the next couple of hours."

"Sounds like a plan," the blonde Digi-Destined said, taking Kyoko's hand and climbing up on Gryphonmon's back. "Thanks."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Chiharu and Beelzemon were searching along the coast. Fortunately for them, the factory hadn't been too far from the ocean, so it was a short walk. They were at the beach within fifteen minutes.

"This is gonna take a really long time, ya know that, right?" Beelzemon asked the goggle-head.

She nodded. "But it will take a lot less time than it would, since we all split up. This way, we can cover a lot more ground."

"But it's a lot more dangerous, especially for Yuichi," the Demon Lord of Gluttony pointed out.

Chiharu sighed. Her partner made a good point. "Well, Wizardmon can Digivolve all the way to Mega now, and the kid's pretty good with other Digimon. He'll probably be able to find someone to help him."

"So," Beelzemon said after a moment. "Why did ya think the castle might be near the sea?"

"People wouldn't expect a castle to be somewhere nice and sunny like a beach, so if it's made invisible by a barrier, don't you think it would be the perfect place to hide it?" she asked. Chiharu turned her gaze out to the sea. "Or it could be under the water."

"_Under_ the water?" Beelzemon asked skeptically.

"Well, yeah," his brunette partner replied as though it were obvious. "Think about it. None of the Digimon on our team are aquatic. It would be very hard for us to access, so it would be protected from attack."

She made very valid points.

"Alright," Beelzemon said. "But if you think it might be underwater, how're we supposed ta _look_?" he asked, also bringing up a good point. Chiharu didn't have an answer to that.

"I believe I can help you with that," a voice said, though neither human nor Digimon could pinpoint its location of origin. That is, until a large splash came from the beach. When the water lowered, they could see a large brown and blue Digimon.

"Whamon," Chiharu read. "Ultimate Level. Attacks: Tidal Wave and Jet Arrow."

"That's me," the giant Digimon said with a chuckle. "I couldn't help but overhear that you need some way to search the ocean?"

"Yeah," the brunette replied.

To their surprise, Whamon opened his mouth. "Hop in," he told them.

"You're going to _eat_ us?" Chiharu asked. "How's that going to help us search the ocean?" Whamon laughed again.

"The inside of Whamon is hollow," Beelzemon said, remembering. "If we go in, we'll be fine."

"But how are we supposed to…? Oh, nevermind," the girl said, heading toward the big whale Digimon.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Hideaki had had enough with the walking, considering that they were still weeks away from the Valley. "Digital Enhancement. Speed: Connect!"

BlackWarGreymon picked up his partner, and they reached the Valley of Ebonwumon in a matter of hours.

As soon as they entered the market, many Digimon surrounded them. Hideaki was able to recognize them from last time.

"You're back," Apemon observed. "But why are you the only one? Where are the others?"

"We split up," the human explained. "We're looking for Apocalymon's castle, but we have no idea where it is, so we thought we could cover more ground if we split up."

"I see," the yellow-furred Champion said.

"I'm not sure if we'll be much help," Shadramon said, "but we will try. I heard there were some suspicious things happening near the Mountain of Azulongmon."

Hideaki and BlackWarGreymon sent each other nervous glances.

"Yuichi!"

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"Digital Enhancement. Digivolve: Connect!"

"ShadowWereGarurumon Digivolve to… BlackMetalGarurumon!" The Mega looked at his partner blankly as she climbed onto his back. "Did you _really_ Digivolve me _just_ so you could get a ride?"

"Hey," Tsukiko said, shrugging. "Now you can fly, so we'll get there a lot faster."

He hated that she had a point. "Alright." He released his wings and took flight. They reached the Forest quickly.

After Tsukiko dismounted her partner, they walked around, hoping to find any sign of a castle hidden among the trees, or of Majiramon. Instead, they found something a bit different.

"Hello," a small, cream-colored Digimon said, looking up at the human and her Mega partner. "My name is Salamon. Are you looking for something?"

"Yeah, actually," BlackMetalGarurumon told the small Digimon. "Is there a castle anywhere around here?"

The Rookie giggled. "Oh, no, nothing like that."

"Do you know anything about Apocalymon's castle?" Tsukiko asked.

Salamon bristled at the name. "It's nowhere near here," she said softly, "but I've heard rumors that it's hidden somewhere in the Mountain of Azulongmon.

Tsukiko and BlackMetalGarurumon's eyes widened. That was where they'd sent their youngest member and his Champion partner.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"It's going to take forever to get to the Volcano," Lilamon muttered. They still couldn't even see it.

Satoru's D-Agent started beeping, and he pressed a button. "Yeah?"

"We've got a problem," Tsukiko's voice said.

"What's that? Have you found the castle?" the purple haired boy asked.

"No, but I was told about a rumor that it's in the Mountain of Azulongmon. Hurry and get there, or we might be too late!"

Satoru gulped. There was no way they'd be able to make it in time. But their saving grace came in the form of a long white Digimon that flew toward them.

"Hey!" Lilamon called up to it. "Can you help us?"

The Digimon came around and landed. It was very large, and white with red and yellow rings. It had green hair-like scales on its head, and large ears that also seemed to be wings.

"Queztalmon, Armor Level," Satoru read. "Attacks: Freezing Wave, Fossil Wave, and Toltec Wind."

"What do you need?" she asked kindly.

"Can you give us a ride?" Lilamon asked. "We need to make it to the Mountain of Azulongmon, fast."

The long Digimon nodded. "Alright. I'm willing to help a Digi-Destined. Hop on."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Mayu had used the Speed card for Lucemon as well, so that he could keep up with Gryphonmon. Her D-Agent beeped.

"Yeah?" she answered it.

"We have a problem," Hideaki said from the other side.

"What's that?" Mayu asked, causing Kyoko to look at the younger girl over her shoulder.

"There's a rumor going around in the Digital World that the castle is hidden somewhere in the Mountain of Azulongmon," Hideaki told her. "I already talked to Tsukiko, and she let Satoru know. We're all headed there right now. I just hope we get there in time. Let Chiharu know, alright?"

"Got it," Mayu said, and then cut the connection.

"What did he mean, 'get there in time'?" Kyoko asked, a bit curious, and slightly worried.

"When we split up, some of the others went to the Sovereign's domains. We had Yuichi, the youngest of all of us, head for the Mountain. It's just him and Wizardmon there right now," Mayu answered.

"Along with whatever may be lying in wait for us," Lucemon muttered darkly.

Kyoko's face hardened. "Hear that, Gryphonmon? Let's go." And with that, the Mega made a sharp about-face heading for the Mountain.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"This is so cool!" Chiharu exclaimed. She was currently sitting inside Whamon, and her D-Agent had somehow connected with his visual data, giving her a holographic image of exactly what Whamon was seeing.

"Yeah, yeah," Beelzemon said, rolling his eyes. "Concentrate on lookin'."

"Party pooper," she muttered jokingly. Beelzemon couldn't help but crack a smile. His partner had been so depressed for a long time, it was nice to see her smile and joke like this. Especially because they would be facing Apocalymon soon, and possibly even _it_. He shuddered at the thought. There was no way they could fight it, at least not and win, anyway.

Chiharu noticed his sudden change in attitude. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked, but before he could answer, her D-Agent beeped.

"What's up? Has anyone found anything?"

"Bad news," Mayu said. "We think it's on the Mountain of Azulongmon."

"Well, that's great, now we know where it—Yuichi!" she realized, her good mood immediately gone. "We're on our way." She hung up. "Hey, Whamon?" she asked.

"What?" he asked, his voice reverberating across his hollow inside.

"How close is the ocean to the Mountain of Azulongmon?" she asked.

"Not that far. Within walking distance. I can take you as close as possible in the water," he offered, getting a confirmation from the Demon Lord. "Alright, then, hold on!" he said as he doubled, and then tripled his original speed.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Yuichi and Wizardmon, oblivious to their current danger, were walking up the Mountain, having been dropped off by Hippogriffomon, keeping their eyes peeled for any sort of danger. After a while, Yuichi pointed. "Look!" he said. "I see something!"

Wizardmon, recognizing the thing his partner had pointed at as Majiramon, pulled the boy behind a large rock. "Contact the others," he advised. "Let's not do anything until they get here."

"Right," the black haired kid said, about to pull out his Digivice to call one of the others when he saw something in the distance. As it came closer, he recognized it as BlackWarGreymon carrying Hideaki. He waved his arms to grab their attention. They landed softly.

"I contacted the others," Hideaki told the two. "They'll be here in a little bit." Very shortly after, Satoru and Lilamon arrived, riding a long white Digimon.

"Thank you, Queztalmon!" Satoru called, waving as the Digimon flew off.

Tsukiko arrived, followed by Mayu, who introduced Kyoko.

"I didn't know Nakayama-sensei had a sister," Lilamon said.

"He doesn't talk about me?" the blonde woman asked, pretending to be insulted. She laughed. "He's probably too busy with his job. Even though he doesn't seem to take it seriously."

The five present children looked at each other for a moment. Nakayama took his job a lot more seriously than his sister thought. They'd seen that when Makuramon and Kumbhiramon had broken through to the Real World. They'd never seen him so serious, or so angry before.

"I'm here!" Chiharu said as she ran over. She realized that everyone else was already there, and couldn't figure out how everyone else had gotten there before her. Especially Tsukiko, who'd been on the other side of the Digital World. _It must have been the Speed card_, she thought.

"Why are you soaking wet?" Mayu asked. It was true, Chiharu and Beelzemon were still dripping.

"We were inside a giant whale," Beelzemon said, and that was the only explanation given.

"Hi, I'm Kyoko Nakayama," Kyoko introduced herself. "You must be Chiharu. Makoto talks about you all the time. He has a lot of faith in you. All of you, actually. I came here to make sure you were all okay, considering that you've been gone so long, and Makoto's been worried out of his mind. She looked back at Gryphonmon. "Well, we'd better get going."

"Wait," Chiharu said. "Maybe you can help us."

Their teacher's sister simply shook her head. "Sorry," she said, "but this is your job, not mine. Besides, we might be able to help against a Deva, but we're no match for what's inside the castle." She smiled softly. "I'll just go home and tell everyone that you're all okay. Goodbye, everyone! It was nice meeting you!" And with that, she got up on Gryphonmon's back and took to the sky. The group waved goodbye.

"Alright," Chiharu said, approaching Majiramon. "Time to face the music."

"You!" Majiramon yelled, seeing the children and their partners. "You will not get past this point!"

"Him bein' here can only mean one thing!" Beelzemon said.

"Apocalymon must be beyond this point!" Lucemon hissed.

"I feel like this is some lame video game script…" Hideaki muttered, getting a few nods of agreement.

"If we defeat Majiramon," Chiharu started, "the barrier might be brought down, and we'll be able to get into the castle!"

"Alright, let's do this!" Tsukiko said with a grin.

"Digital Enhancement. Digivolve: Connect!"

"Lilamon Digivolve to… Rosemon!"

"Digital Enhancement. Warp Digivolve: Connect!"

"Wizardmon Warp Digivolve to… Pharaohmon!"

"Beelzemon, what're we looking at here?" Chiharu asked her partner.

"His attack is Flaming Arrowhead."

"Okay, that doesn't sound too bad," Mayu commented. After all, with four regular Megas _and_ two Demon Lords, this was going to be cakewalk.

"Flaming Arrowhead!" Majiramon yelled, determined to defeat these children. He was the last Deva left standing, as well and the guardian of the castle. If he was destroyed, there would be nothing stopping these children from entering the castle and thwarting their plans.

The group was surprised to see 108 arrows of light heading their way.

"You could have told us there would be this many!" Rosemon yelled, dodging out of the way of every arrow near her.

BlackWarGreymon protected his partner with his shield, but there were so many arrows headed their way that there was no way he'd be able to block all of them. Chiharu raised her D-Agent.

"Digital Enhancement. Blast Mode: Connect!" Once her partner was in Blast Mode, she said, "Try firing at the arrows. If you can take some of them out, it won't be as hard to dodge them."

"Got it. Corona Blaster!" the enhanced Mega yelled, firing at all the nearby arrows. While they'd been distracted, they hadn't seen Majiramon getting closer until it was almost too late.

"Rose Spear!" Rosemon yelled, letting her whip extend and wrap around the dragon Deva's neck, stopping him in his tracks.

"Blizzard Wolf Claw!"

"Terra Force!"

"Corona Blaster!"

"Grand Cross!"

"Fist of Nile!"

Having suffered all the attacks at once, and being unable to dodge, Majiramon was destroyed instantly. As soon as he was gone, something faded into view.

"Hey, you can see the castle now!" Tsukiko yelled as the transparent structure became fully visible.

"Let's get going, then!" Chiharu said, starting to head for the castle, but Beelzemon caught her arm and shook his head. "What?"

The two Demon Lords gave each other a look, a look that seemed to decide something very important. "Not yet," Lucemon said. "There's something you must know, first."

"We gotta fill you in on the whole story," Beelzemon said. It was quite possible that they would be too late to stop the Master from coming back, because they'd taken so long. They had to prepare the children for what they were about to face.

**Next time:  
Lucemon: It started a very long time ago.  
Beelzemon: This stuff was a secret for a long time. That's why it was never in the history books or anything.  
Lucemon: But you need to know what went on all those years ago.  
Beelzemon: That way, maybe you can do what we couldn't.  
Lucemon: Maybe you can stop him once and for all.**

**Who is the mysterious Master? What happened all those years ago? If the Demon Lords never killed the Sovereigns, as Beelzemon's been say, what really happened to them? All will be revealed, next time~**

**Anyway, this chapter was a bit fun to write. I realize that the fight scene was REALLY short (as just about all of mine are…), but I actually wrote that today, and I'm kind of busy today, so I had to write it fast. Putting Nakayama's sister in there was a last minute decision, but I remembered how long it took everyone to get from place to place, and Mayu needed a ride, since I doubt Lucemon would be able to carry her for as long as they'd be traveling. Actually, I think of lot of this chapter involved last minute decisions, but I think it came out at least fairly decent.**

**So, again: Reviews/Questions, Covers, and Poll. Til next time~ Tootles~**


	29. Before the Beginning

**Disclaimer: You all understand my message by now. I own everything except the Digimon themselves.**

The children and their partners had decided to take a seat. Beelzemon and Lucemon had finally decided to tell them the big secret of what had gone on a long, long time ago, and they figured that it was going to take a while.

"It started a very long time ago," Lucemon began.

"This stuff was a secret for a long time," Beelzemon pitched in. "That's why it was never in the history books or anything."

"But you need to know what went on all those years ago," Lucemon continued gravely.

"That way, maybe you can do what we couldn't."

"Maybe you can stop him once and for all."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

It started when a horrible darkness spread over the Digital World. Many Digimon were overcome with a powerful force of pure hatred and anger. Initially, no one knew who or what was causing it, but an army began to assemble, doing the bidding of a mysterious entity that no one could identify by name. For a long time, it was just called the Master. And his followers targeted the young and weak Digimon first, destroying them and loading their data to become more powerful. Thus, these Digimon were never reborn as Eggs.

Impmon was one of the unfortunate, currently being targeted by a pair of Centarumon.

"Solar Ray!" one of them yelled, firing at the Rookie, missing him by inches.

_I'm dead, I'm _so_ dead,_ he thought, and in that moment that he'd allowed himself to think, he tripped. There was no way that he was going to be able to get up in time. But, just as he was about to be hit with a fatal attack, a bright, cross shaped light shot out at his attackers, and they fell back, clearly not wanting to fight something that was willing to hit back.

Impmon stared for a brief second at the fleeing Champions before standing and dusting himself off. "Thanks," he said to the Digimon that had saved him. This Digimon looked like a small angel child.

"Oh, no problem," his savior replied. "I hate those guys, and I'm trying to stop them. I want to make the Digital World a better place. Want to help me?"

Impmon grinned. He'd been wanting to stop them himself, but, though he'd never admit it to anyone, he was too afraid to do it alone. "You kidding?" he asked with a laugh. "Of course I do! Anything to get back at those thugs! By the way, the name's Impmon."

"Lucemon," the other Rookie replied, holding out a hand. Impmon took it, beginning their partnership.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The two had been working together for about two weeks when they found her.

They were trying to find somewhere to use as shelter for the night when they came across a limp, black feline shape. They easily identified her as BlackGatomon. "Hey, are you okay?" Impmon asked her, trying to shake her into consciousness.

She slowly opened a golden eye. "Don't hurt me…" she said weakly. She wasn't in a state to tell who was friend and who was foe.

"We're not going to hurt you, we promise," Lucemon assured her, and the two helped her into some nearby old ruins. When she finally awoke again, she regarded the two Rookies warily.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Impmon, and he's Lucemon," the purple Rookie answered.

"I need to ask you something," Lucemon began. "Were you attacked by followers of the Master?" She nodded her head. "Do you have any idea who or where he might be?" This time, she shook her head.

"Here's the deal," Impmon said, suddenly taking the lead. "We need your help. We're trying to get at the Master, maybe get rid of him once or for all, but we can't do it on our own."

BlackGatomon stared at the two, debating. This could be a trap. But they _had_ saved her… If she had the chance to take revenge against her attackers, and he who led them, she was going to take it. "Count me in."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Very shortly after that, they found four others: Phascomon, DemiDevimon, Betamon, and Dracmon. As it was, they were all Rookies, and thus, not able to do much. They had to rely on the Four Sovereigns for the time being. They were the strongest Digimon in the Digital World, but even they were having difficulties keeping the Master at bay. The seven Rookies felt that it was up to them to get stronger, and one day be able to rid the Digital World of the Master.

"How much longer is it going to take before we're strong enough?" Phascomon asked, annoyed with how long it was taking. He wanted to hurry up and get it over with, as did the rest of them.

"Who knows?" Lucemon said, having been assigned the role of leader.

"It'd better be soon," Impmon muttered, "or we're in big trouble."

"Yeah," Dracmon agreed. "I'm not sure how much longer the Sovereigns can hold him off."

"Well, if the Sovereigns can't stop him, then what hope will we have?" Betamon asked.

BlackGatomon rolled her eyes. "Well, aren't you just a bright ray of sunshine?"

"Hey, guys, shut up! I see something!" DemiDevimon said, pointing one foot in a direction. The rest looked up to see a pair of Centarumon. The same pair, in fact, that had attacking Impmon before.

"Oh, payback is gonna be sweet," he said with a fanged smirk. As the two Champions approached, he summoned a fireball on each of his fingers. "Bada Boom!" he yelled, hurling the flames at the Centarumon once they were in range.

"Solar Ray!" they both called out, firing the cannons on their arms at the group. The Rookies responded by scattering, each sending out their own attack.

"Grand Cross!"

"Demi Dart!"

"Lightning Paw!"

"Undead Fang!"

"Bada Boom!"

"Eucalyptus Claw!"

"Electric Shock!"

All attacks hit the Centarumon head on, destroying them. The Rookies stared at each other. They hadn't thought that they were that strong. But was it possible that they were special? Different from the rest of the Digimon out there?

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Now all at Ultimate Level, the seven future Demon Lords decided to see what they were up against. Following rumors, and eventually their own eyes, they found the battleground of the fight between the Master and the Four Sovereigns.

The digital creature looked like a warped chunk of data, attempting to look like a Digimon. It almost seemed as though pieces had been take from other Digimon. The top half of its head bore the skull of Kabuterimon, and it had four long arms. A yellow and blue fiery aura that assumed the shape of a bird or a dragon surrounded its head and arms, and it had a very large cannon fused to its back. The rest of its body was the color of rotting flesh.

"Eww…" Bastemon muttered, making a face, but Astamon elbowed her in the ribs, instantly shutting her up. This beast couldn't be alerted of their presence. This was just for information, they hadn't come here to fight. They knew that they couldn't take it down as they were now.

"Millenniummon," Azulongmon, the Azure Dragon of the East, said. "Your reign of evil ends here." They now had both a name and a grotesque face to put to the evil that had been taking over their home.

Baihumon, the White Tiger of the West, glared at the creature. "We cannot allow you to harm the Digital World any further."

"The game is over. This is the end of the line for you," Zhuqiaomon, the Vermillion Bird of the South, added.

"And we'll make sure that you're gone for good," Ebonwumon, the Black Tortoise of the North, finished.

Millenniummon let out a strange sound that sounded like some sort of strangled growl, and it took a moment for all present to realize that the enemy was laughing. "No," it said in a deep, warped voice. "But you are right about one thing," it added with a grin, showing long, razor-sharp teeth. "The game _is_ over. Ultimate Fusion!"

What appeared to be holes in time and space opened behind each of the Sovereigns, with suction like a black hole. The seven Ultimates were forced to keep themselves fully behind the large rocks they'd hidden behind. Lucemon and SkullSatamon, however, managed to peek around and watch as the Sovereigns fought to keep their ground, but the suction only increased, eventually pulling them into the holes.

"Dimension Destroyer!" Millenniummon yelled out, and the other Digimon were confused. It had defeated the Sovereigns, now what was it doing?

But they soon realized that the Sovereigns hadn't been destroyed before. They'd just been pulled into pocket dimensions. However, after the second attack, those pocket dimensions exploded, causing a large shockwave that knocked the spectators off their feet. They stayed hidden, however, and watched as Millenniummon left in the other direction, not even glancing their way.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"What in the hell were we thinking?!" Sagomon yelled. "We can't take that thing! It defeated the Sovereigns like it was nothing!"

"We have no hope," MegaSeadramon agreed.

NeoDevimon glared at the two of them. "If that's how you're going to think, then get out."

"I'm with him," SkullSatamon said. "We ain't gonna just give up, are we?"

"Besides," Lucemon said, "if we defeat him, then the Digital World is saved. But if we don't and we die… Well, death would probably be better than living like this much longer."

Sagomon and MegaSeadramon had nothing to say to that, because they both knew that it was the one hundred percent truth.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

They'd managed to do it. They'd all Digivolved to Mega (except for Lucemon, but he was strong enough as an Ultimate). It was now or never.

They'd been watching Millennuimmon's followers closely, trying to find where their enemy had been hiding. Eventually, they found the mountain that the mass of corrupted data had taken up residence.

"What's the plan?" Leviamon asked.

"We go in and we crush him," Daemon answered, causing the other six to shake their heads.

"Cuz _that'll_ work," Beelzemon muttered, rolling his eyes.

"A real, substantial plan might be nice," Lilithmon put in.

Lucemon, still their leader, thought for a moment. "We'll go in, and strike fast and hard. If we catch it by surprise, we might have a chance."

"I'm not liking the big 'might' in that plan," Belphemon commented.

"What? You have a better one?" Barbamon asked, but Belphemon said nothing more.

"So we're clear?" Lucemon asked, earning a nod from his companions.

Beelzemon cracked his knuckles and smirked. "Then let's do this."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

Millenniummon was resting in its large chambers when it happened. A hole was ripped in the large stone wall, revealing seven Digimon just begging to be destroyed. Well, Millenniummon would fulfill their wish for them, in due time. It raised one of its long arms and batted them aside. They slammed into the opposite wall.

"Double Impact!"

"Grand Cross!"

"Cauda!"

"Evil Inferno!"

"Gift of Darkness!"

"Dark Inferno!"

"Phantom Pain!"

But even when hit head-on with the attacks of all seven of them, Millenniummon could not be deterred. "Ultimate Fusion!" Seven dimensional pockets opened, each behind a Demon Lord. Most jumped out of the way, but Lilithmon felt herself being dragged behind, seeming unable to escape. Beelzemon glanced over and reached out his arm.

"Come on!" he said, and she grabbed his hand gratefully.

"Thanks," she said.

"No time for that," Beelzemon said, brushing off her thanks. "We gotta get going." He looked over at Lucemon. "Yer surprise attack plan didn't work! Now what?"

"Lucemon eyed his surroundings. They had to find some way to escape. They couldn't use the hole they'd made breaking in, since not all of them could fly. "Grand Cross!" he yelled, aiming for the wall. His plan worked, and they escaped through the hole that they made, dashing through countless corridors, trying to find a way out.

"So now we're just running away?!" Daemon yelled, furious that they hadn't had the good fight that he'd been hoping they'd have.

"I'm right there with ya," Beelzemon agreed, "but I wanna keep living."

A group of Devidramon appeared in front of them, blocking their route of escape. Barbamon turned to see that they were behind them, too, boxing them in. "We're trapped!" he announced.

"No, really?" Leviamon asked, rolling his eyes, despite the danger. It was extremely likely, even probable, that they would die today, but that wasn't going to stop their sarcasm. He suddenly had an idea, though. He spun his body, whipping his tail around, knocking down any and all opponents in their way. "Go!"

"Crimson Claw!" they could feel the attacks behind them, but always managed to dodge just in time.

"Double Impact!" Beelzemon shot over his shoulder, even daring to twist his whole upper body a few times.

"Is this it?" Belphemon asked. He usually didn't care for much work, but this was something he _thought_ they'd all committed to. "We're just going to let this go?"

Lucemon stopped abruptly and turned, a new fire in his eyes. He couldn't let it go. He had his pride, and they'd come here to do something. They'd get it done, even if it killed them.

There was a problem, though. They'd been at full strength when they first attacked, and hadn't done much damage. Now that they were in the castle, their energy seemed to be slowly sapped, probably one of Millennuimmon's powers, that made it impossible to defeat.

"This ain't lookin' good!" Beelzemon yelled, realizing their sorry situation.

"No, really, you think?!" Lilithmon yelled back. She was terrified of death, and wished that they'd never come here. "I thought it was going splendidly!"

"Shut up!" Daemon yelled. Their arguing was getting on his nerves.

"He's right," Lucemon started with a nod. He was beginning to form a plan. "We need to focus on the task at hand."

Beelzemon fingered the Berenjena. They were more than likely going to lose their lives today, but if it was the price they had to pay, then so be it. He wasn't _accepting_ death, exactly, but he had to acknowledge the risks or leave before it was too late. But if any of them left, it was all over. It would take all seven of them… and even then, it might not be enough.

"You'd better be ready!" Leviamon yelled as the oncoming shadow snuffed out all traces of light, signaling Millennuimmon's arrival. "Here it comes again!"

Lucemon, realizing the only possible solution, yelled, "Everyone! Grab hands!"

"What, ya got no faith in us and wanna start praying?" Beelzemon asked.

"Just do it!" the leader yelled, and everyone complied, having no idea what he had in mind. He spoke whispered words under his breath:

"_Voco__foras__portam__invictam hanc__potestatem__signa__in hostem_."

To the surprise of the other six, the entire castle began to shake, and they felt all their power being quickly depleted. They had no idea what Lucemon was doing, but they knew it was what was causing their energy drain. But they also knew that Lucemon was doing what was the only thing he thought would work. A brilliant light shone in the darkness, growing brighter and brighter, larger and larger. When the light subsided, so did the infinite shadows that Millenniummon had brought when he followed the seven. The doors opened slowly, with a white light emitting from the crack. A great wind, much like the one from their opponent's dimensional holes, was directed right at Millenniummon, pulling it in, and while it struggled, nothing could stop it from being sucked in. The seven noticed, however, that the more Millenniummon struggled, the less energy they had. They all felt like they were going to die, when suddenly, the gate closed, trapping Millenniummon inside, and disappeared. They each had a second to feel relieved before they passed out.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

"When we woke up, the castle was empty," Lucemon finished.

"We took it," Beelzemon added. "And it was our castle."

"Wait," Mayu said, confused. "You guys _saved_ the Digital World… so why is everyone so afraid of you?"

"Great power leads to corruption," Lucemon explained. "We took control of the Digital World, setting it to order, but…"

"The power went to our heads," Beelzemon said. "People started to forget how we really started ruling, and decided ta make their own story that fit what they thought better."

"So…" Hideaki started, "You're saying that we have to fight what even _you_ couldn't destroy?" The two present Demon Lords nodded solemnly.

"I suspect that the Millennium Gate has weakened since our reconfiguration, since we were what kept it closed. Millenniummon must have gained enough power to speak through it, pulling our old followers to its side," Lucemon suggested.

Chiharu sighed. There was only one thing they could do. "Let's get in there before the Millennium Gate opens, then. If we can destroy Apocalymon before Millenniummon breaks through, then maybe we'll have bought some time to come up with a plan."

"How did you know about the Gate?" Yuichi asked the Demon Lord of Pride.

"We'd been trying to gather information about how to defeat powerful Digimon," Lucemon informed him. "I found a library, which mentioned an incantation to bring forth the Millennium Gate."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x

The way to the dungeon of the castle was surprisingly clear of all enemies. That wasn't a good sign.

They found Apocalymon deep in the dungeon, appearing to be talking to himself.

"It looks like we got here in time," Tsukiko commented, loud enough to get the Mega's attention. He glared.

"You will not stop the resurrection of the Master," he hissed. His body released many large claws on chains. "I will not let you. Darkness Zone!" Six claws, for six children, shot forward, each one catching a Digi-Destined. The claws were large enough that they completely enclosed the children. When the claws opened up again, there was nothing but air.

"Oh shit," Beelzemon stated, summarizing the situation quite well.

**Next time:  
Hideaki: Where…? Mom? Dad?  
Mr. Kokawa: Pathetic child!  
Mrs. Kokawa: We never wanted you! Leave!  
Hideaki: But what about… what about Digimon Academy? What about my friends?  
Mr. Kokawa: Like we'd let you go anywhere you might **_**enjoy**_** yourself.  
Mrs. Kokawa: You don't **_**have**_** any friends.  
Hideaki: No…**

**Okay, WAY short, and I don't like, but I'm seriously running out of ideas. So, yes, Millennuimmon's the big bad guy, though none of you guessed it. In case you were wondering, the incantation was in Latin, and it roughly means: "I call forth a gate of power to seal this invincible foe". (Or so says Google Translate) As you'll find out next week, Darkness Zone is a bit of a different attack than it usually is. Alright, I can't think of anything else to say, though I was sure there was something… Oh well.**

**Review, Ask Questions, Submit Covers, and Answer the Poll, please~ Until next time~**


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